Bienvenidos Edición 2019

OFFICIAL VISITORS MAGAZINE OF THE PUERTO RICO HOTEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATION

the Experience

E. Cosme

Review Casino Metro

“I love it. The lounge and

bar area are great to have a drink

with some friends and the service

is just as good!”

Sheryl B.

Review Casino Metro

“My vacation in Puerto Rico was

so much fun. I found myself

going to Casino Metro

almost every night.

Various famous artists

performed and got

us all dancing.”

Come and live

the experience of

Casino Metro,

San Juan’s best bet

Puerto Rico

www.casinometro.com | 787-522-4801

Puerto Rico

is open for business

and pleasure

CLARISA JIMENEZ

President & CEO

Welcome and thank

you for choosing PR

to vacation. Prepare

to be well fed, well

entertained, and well rested. Puerto

Rico’s pulse is now stronger than ever.

Hotels have reopened with many

beautifully refurbished; and restaurants

and bars are buzzing.

The Island of Enchantment continues

to be the best Caribbean destination

to relax, swim, hike, and enjoy great

meals, the arts, music, dancing,

shopping, as well as experience a

variety of unique adventures.

We are open for business and we

highly recommend exploring our nearly

200 tourist attractions including major

sites like Old San Juan, the Castillo

San Felipe del Morro and Toro Verde

Adventure Park; taste our succulent local

and international cuisine served from

gourmet food trucks to rustic food kiosks

to conventional restaurants, and simply

take in Puerto Rico’s natural beauty.

You can also visit multiple lively casinos

with the latest video slots and table

games as well as challenging 18-hole

golf courses designed by renowned

golfers. Drop by world-class museums

to further enrich your experience with

knowledge, beauty, history and culture.

If it rains, no worries because Puerto

Rico is packed with opportunities to

browse and buy. From high-end luxury

to discounted outlet stores, options

abound for every style and budget.

Engage in all we have to offer; enjoy

your time, and come back to explore.

A warm welcome awaits.

The Puerto Rico Convention Center is the largest and most technologically advanced in the Caribbean.

A legacy of

EXTRAORDINARY

Made iconic by the people, places, and performances that define San Juan’s nightlife,

we invite you to experience authentic celebrations, inspired cuisine, and artisanal libations.

CAÑA BY JULIANA GONZÁLEZ

Authentic Puerto Rican flavors

with an international zest.

LOBBY BARS

The hotel’s epicenter, with weekly live

entertainment and varied cocktails.

Sunday–Wednesday: 4pm–2am

Thursday–Saturday: 4pm–4am

AQUARELLE

Inspired coastal cuisine in a

sophisticated beachfront setting.

6063 Isla Verde Avenue | 787.791.1000 | ELSANJUANHOTEL.COM

ELSANJUANHOTEL

@ELSANJUANHOTEL

Add meaning

to your vacation

PABLO TORRES

Chairman of the

Board of Directors

On behalf of the members of

the Puerto Rico Hotel and

Tourism Association, it is

my pleasure to welcome

you to our island.

For over 500 years, Puerto Ricans

have taken pride in our friendly and

welcoming manner, which immediately

makes visitors feel at home.

As you begin your travel, we invite you

to visit our many historical sites and our

fabulous world-famous, postcard-perfect

beaches. If you enjoy watersports,

you will be delighted with the fantastic

snorkeling, sailing, deep-sea fishing,

parasailing, and Jet Ski opportunities

that are available for your enjoyment.

For those who love to get their cardio

workout by shopping please visit our

plethora of shopping centers, strip malls,

and free-standing stores where you

will find local arts and crafts, designer

goods, exquisite jewelry, leather

goods, rum, cigars, as well as unique

treasures perfect to take back home as

souvenirs of your fabulous trip to Puerto

Rico. Meanwhile, you cannot forget to

sample the traditional dishes that have

been handed down from generation

to generation at the many restaurants

located island-wide.

We are sure that whatever you choose

to do during your stay, it will be the

beginning of a lifelong cherished

memory and the first of many repeat

visits.

Thank you for choosing Puerto Rico!

Facade of the Ponce Museum of Art, Edward Durell Stone building, 2010.

TOURS

COCKTAILS

TASTINGS

BOOK ONLINE

CASABACARDI.COM

© 2019 BACARDÍ, ITS TRADE DRESS, THE BAT DEVICE AND BACARDI UNTAMEABLE ARE TRADEMARKS.

Live Passionately. Drink Responsibly.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT & CEO

Clarisa Jimenez

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Pablo Torres, Caribe Hilton Hotel

CHAIRMAN ELECT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sam Basu, Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

Miguel Vega, HI Development

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Aida Ramirez, CPA, Kevane Grant Thornton

3 DIRECTORS FROM HOTELS WITH 300+ ROOMS

Michael Herrmann, InterContinental

San Juan Beach Resort

Luis Rivera, Melia Coco Beach Hotel

3 DIRECTORS FROM HOTELS WITH 76-299 ROOMS

Johanna Garay, Courtyard Miramar Hotel

Frankie Mariani, Hyatt House Hotel

Reynaldo Rey Fernández, AC Marriott Condado

SMALL INNS

Tomas Ramirez, Combate Beach Resort

AIRLINES

Cristian Hernandez, Delta Air Lines

CRUISE SHIPS

Maritza Toste, First Class Services Inc.

CASINO


REGIONAL DIRECTORS

Tomas Ramirez, Porta del Sol / Porta Caribe Regions

Laine Gorman, The Blok Vieques & Culebra Region

SUPPLIERS OR PURVEYORS OF SERVICES

OR DURABLE GOODS

Wesley Cullen, Bacardí Corporation

Joanne Ferguson-Twiste, Destination Puerto Rico /

Travel Services Inc., a DMC Network Company

Carmen Portela, Local Guest

TRANSPORTATION

Roberto Rodriguez, First Class Destination Solutions

EX-OFFICIO

Carla Campos, Acting Executive Director,

Puerto Rico Tourism Company

Brad Dean, President & CEO, Puerto Rico

Destination Marketing Organization

RESTAURANTS/SHOPS

Raúl Correa, Lote 23

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

EXECUTIVE

Pablo Torres, Caribe Hilton



Aida Ramirez, CPA, Kevane Grant Thornton

Noel Vera Ramirez, Luxury Resorts

Clarisa Jimenez, Puerto Rico Hotel &

Tourism Association

ALLIED

Carmen Portela, Local Guest

ASSOCIATION GOVERNANCE

Noel Vera, Luxury Resorts

CASINO


CONSERVATION

Eddie Ramirez, Casa Sol Bed & Breakfast

HUMAN RESOURCES

Olga Martinez, El Conquistador Resort

PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Ginoris Santiago, Caribe Hilton Hotel

GENERAL MANAGER’S AND OWNERS


Nils Stolzlechner, Wyndham Grand Rio Mar

MARKETING

Letty Rivero, Condado Plaza Hilton Hotel

MEMBERSHIP

Charlotte Ware, TrueBlue Hospitality

RESTAURANT

Raul Correa, Lote 23

SECURITY

Carlos Martinez, CM Hotel Security

Consultant

TRANSPORTATION

Roberto Rodriguez, First Class

Destination Solutions

PORTA CARIBE / PORTA DEL SOL REGION

Tomas Ramirez, Combate Beach Resort

VIEQUES AND CULEBRA REGION

Laine Gorman, The Blok

Bienvenidos 2019-2020

Official Visitors Magazine of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association

PUBLISHER & CHIEF EDITOR

Migdalia Medina

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Evelyn Guadalupe-Fajardo

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Amy Gordon

Eugenio Hopgood

Peter Martin

Rafael Vega

ART & GRAPHIC DESIGN

Enrique Carrion

Leo Rentas

TRAFFIC MANAGER

Jean Carlos Gonzalez

SALES & MARKETING

Adaliz Elvira

Joaquin Dedos

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Carlos Perez Haeussler

Daniel Montenegro

David Vega

Hector E. Medina

Javier Freytes

Joe Colon

Jose Almodovar

Jose Jochi Mendez

Jose Rodriguez

Marielisa Sabat

Ricardo Alcaraz

Wilfredo Garcia

Wilfren Tacoronte

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS

Casa Bacardi

Casino Metro

El San Juan Hotel

Embassy Suites San Juan

Jaime Rene Santiago

Hornet Dorset Primavera

Il Nuovo Mercato Starbene Caffe

Moons Bar & Tapas

Orujo Taller de Gastronomia

Parguera Plaza

Parrilleria Vacas Gauchas

Plaza Las Americas

Ponce Hilton Hotel & Casino

Ponce Museum of Art

Prisa Group

Puerto Rico Film Commission

Puerto Rico Premium Outlets

San Juan Divers

San Juan Marriott Hotel

Serafina Beach Hotel

Sherley Sanchez

Tamboo Beside the Pointe

Tinto Wine Shop

The Mall of San Juan

The Outlet 66 Mall

Tiratepr

Toro Verde Adventure Park

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar

PUBLISHED BY

Media & Marketing Partners

1612 Ponce de Leon Ave.

2nd. Floor San Juan,

Puerto Rico 00909

m2media@prtc.net

www.bienvenidospuertorico.com

Media & Marketing Partners Co., Corp. and the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association

do not necessarily agree with, or are responsible for opinions expressed in this

publication.

BIENVENIDOS is a registered trademark of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association.

The reproduction of part or the entire publication is prohibited, including but not limited

to art, photography or content without the written consent of the Puerto Rico Hotel &

Tourism Association.

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

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PONCE/MAYAGÜEZ JOURNEY

Discover the best

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IN PONCE

The liveliest Boardwalk in the Caribbean – La Guancha

A Rum Dynasty’s Castle – Serrallés

Puerto Rico best museums, archeological sites,

iconic Spanish Colonial architecture like our famous

Parque de Bombas

Holiday Inn & El Tropical Casino

Ponce, Puerto Rico

A landmark in southern Puerto Rico, Holiday lnn Ponce, with

its awesome view of the city and the Caribbean Sea, has it all:

fantastic facilities, great food and a lively casino within a short

drive to all the good things Ponce has to offer.

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E-mail: jsepulveda@hitcponce.com

Holiday Inn & El Tropical Casino

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

The perfect place to start your western tour of the island. From

here you can drive to an incredible water park, bowling alleys,

hemisphere... Fantastic rooms, great service, excellent rates, a

dynamic casino to try your luck, and Fat Tuesday Daiquiri Bar.

IN MAYAGÜEZ

The Museum at the Coffee Plantation

where “the Citizen of the Americas”

grew up – Museo de Hostos

The Best Sangría on Earth – Fido

An Agricultural Research Station where

the BountifulTropics Come Alive

– UPR Mayagüez

www.holidayinn.com/mayaguezpr

E-mail: reservations@hitcmayaguez.com

Caribe Hotel

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Closer to town, this fantastic hotel is the perfect place to stay

and savor what this city has to offer. The ideal family hotel,

with kid’s suites, home office suites with Free High Speed

Internet, game room, pool… and great rates.

Tel.: 787.841.1000

Toll Free: 1.866.668.4577

E-mail: reservations@caribehotel.com

CORPORATE RATES, FAMILY & HONEYMOON PACKAGES AVAILABLE.

www.hidpr.com

Travel is a gift

we give ourselves…

MIGDALIA MEDINA

Publisher and Chief Editor

They say nothing opens the

mind like travel so we can

see what’s happening beyond

our doorstep, and understand

new cultures.

As publisher and chief editor of this

publication, I hope you will share with

me the desire to travel, especially to

Puerto Rico - an exceptionally rich

Caribbean destination with so much

to offer its visitors.

I am also excited about La Parguera

feature, which focuses on this dreamily

beautiful coastal town that is a

perfect place to explore Puerto Rico’s

southwestern region as well as our story

about the magical west coast town of

Rincon, which has quietly transformed

itself into a culinary sanctuary.

If looking for the perfect gift or colorful

memento you’ll be able to find it strolling

along the centuries-old cobblestone

streets of Old San Juan or visiting one of

Puerto Rico’s shopping malls to engage

in some serious retail therapy.

Another great read is the feature about

Santurce es Ley that celebrates artistic

empowerment in urban neglected

neighborhoods in order to turn them into

fashion forward open-air art galleries.

Also, there is the fact that Puerto Rico for

the past decade has been the setting of

choice for TV and big-screen productions,

find out in Bienvenidos where the ideal

backdrops are located that are quickly

becoming tourism hot spots.

So open your heart, broaden your

mind, and fill your life with stories to tell.

Visit Puerto Rico.

At

We Have What You Need!

New vehicles, from economy size to minivans, passenger vans, pick-up trucks. Low daily,

weekly, and monthly rates. Corporate and insurance replacement rates available. Pick-up and

drop-off at most major hotels in Condado, Isla Verde and Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport.

Aguadilla Airport

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Fajardo Inn Resort

787-860-6000

Carolina

Marginal Los Angeles

787-253-2525

Mayagüez Airport

787-834-1590

Luis Muñoz Marin

International

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787-253-2525

Ponce Airport

787-290-2525

For worldwide reservations calls 1-800-FOR-CARS (1-800-367-2277) or access www.thrifty.com

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1045 Ashford Avenue - San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907

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hat’s in

VIVA CITY

20 Enrich your knowledge of Puerto Rico

visiting Old San Juan’s unique museums

26 Santurce es Ley celebrates artistic

empowerment through amazing murals

SCENE AND BE SEEN

30 The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra:

60 years of musical excellence

36 Bet on casinos if you’re looking

for action

40 Bomba! A hands-on exploration of

Puerto Rico’s powerful expression

of African heritage

CULINARY GUSTO

45 The chefs manning the hottest restaurants

in Puerto Rico

53 Flavors Around the Island

59 Rincon: Puerto Rico’s new culinary sanctuary

For fashion, food and fun...

your destination is PLAZA

Puerto Rico’s premier and largest shopping destination.

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hat’s in

I DO

65 No better place for memorable

girl’s getaway

I’LL TAKE IT

70 Adrenaline junkie overload

at The Outlet 66 Mall

74 Find that unique travel memento

in Old San Juan

78 The Heart and Sole of Puerto Rico

80 Browse, Binge and Buy Buy Buy

MEET IN PUERTO RICO

83 Revamped hotels pump breath

of fresh air perfect for pure pampering

BETWEEN THE AMERICAS

90 The perfect setting

for big-screen productions

INSIDE LA ISLA

94 La Parguera a Caribbean dream

SPORTS AT A GLANCE

100 Taking the Plunge

104 Puerto Rico’s MLB shining stars

107 BE MY GUEST

CASINOS

OF PUERTO RICO

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On our cover

Mona Island, located in Puerto Rico’s west coast, is

the third-largest of Puerto Rico’s archipelago, you’ll find

beaches there truly untouched, protected by keys, and

with waters clear like blue tone glass contrasted by the

deep colors of the coral reef. There is ample marine life

and the island is filled with caves, historically significant

artifacts, and endemic plants and animals, some of

which are endangered.

Playa Coco (Coconut Beach), as seen on our cover,

is situated on the southeastern part of Mona Island. Its

name originated from all the beautiful coconut palm trees

lined up at the edge of this stunning beach.

LOCATION:

Playa Coco (Coconut Beach), Mona Island

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Emilio Iglesias

OFFICIAL VISITORS MAGAZINE OF THE PUERTO RICO HOTEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATION

It may not be one of the most popular beaches like

Sardineras, Pajaros, Punta Arenas and Mujeres but Playa

Coco is truly a unique gem.

All Mona Island beaches are accessible through trails.

Playa Coco with its glistening stretch of white powder

sand and its healthy and alive underwater wonders is

about a 20-minute trek through pediment from Pajaros on

the eastern coast.

The deep waters around Mona Island make it a favorite

spot for scuba divers. Those lucky enough to visit this

secret destination describe the island as an exceptional

treasure. It is managed by the Mona Island Nature

Reserve and there are no native inhabitants; only rangers

and biologists from Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural

and Environmental Resources that manage visitors and

take part in research projects.

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The Musem de las Americas at Cuartel de Ballaja is the largest of the museums.

Enrich your knowledge of Puerto Rico visiting

Old San Juan’s

unique museums

By EUGENIO HOPGOOD

What does an instrument

used to steer

a course using the

bright stars, books

published when printers were invented;

folk art exhibitions, and a

woman with a high bun who formed

a network of schools and transported

snow to the tropics have in common?

Well all the aforementioned subject

matters are at your reach, walking

distance at a choice of museums

found in Old San Juan.

The Museum of Las Americas, La

Casa del Libro, Maritime Museum

and the Felisa Rincon de Gautier

Museum are the original four institutions

that formed part of the Cultural

Alliance of Old San Juan, created

to promote the cultural and historical

spaces of the Old City.

Also part of the Alliance is the National

Foundation for Popular Culture

(folkloric music), the Art School of San

Juan, the Casa Cortes Foundation

(plastic arts) and the Reenactment

Site in San Juan.

Bienvenidos visited the original

museums to get an idea of what

you’ll find to further enrich your experience

with knowledge, beauty,

history and culture in Puerto Rico.

Museo de las Americas

It’s the largest and grandest of

the museums. The Musem de las

Americas is located on the second

floor of the Cuartel de Ballaja, a

magnificent historic building from

the 19th century constructed by

the Spanish government to house

troops and officers who worked

on the grounds of El Morro San

Felipe Fort.

The Museum de la Americas was

founded in 1992 by archeologist

Ricardo Alegria, responsible for the

conservation and restoration of the

historic architectural traits in Old

San Juan.

Its mission is to offer a concentrated

vision of the history and culture of the

Americas from the pre-Columbian

era to the present with an emphasis

on Puerto Rico. It has four rooms

with permanent displays and two

with seasonal exhibits - plastic arts

made by local and international

artists.

20 WWW.BIENVENIDOSPUERTORICO.COM

VIVA CITY

Another option that will be presented

from August to December is the

Caribbean Ties exhibit that showcases

indigenous of the Caribbean.

The Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum is dedicated to the ambassador of the history of San Juan in the 20th century,

who was also mayor of San Juan for 22 years.

The rooms with permanent exhibitions

are “The Birth and Evolution of the

Puerto Rican nation; and “The Indian

of America,” that showcases 22 ethnicities

that have survived the European

conquest; “The African Heritage,”

which is about the African culture of

the Americas legacy and the fourth

features Plastic Arts of Puerto Rico.

The exhibit about The Birth and

Evolution of the Puerto Rican Nation

describes in a brief manner through

graphics, images, artifacts, and text

the history of the Puerto Rican nation

from the arrival of Juan Ponce de Leon

to now,” said Museum Director Maria

Angela Lopez. It includes text in form

of bullets designed to be read by children

as young as the age of seven.”

Lopez added the tourists who visit

appreciate the exhibit because they

take something home with them

about Puerto Rico.

“Many visitors arrive without any

idea about the history of Puerto

Rico and here they take home a

notion about where Puerto Ricans

come from and the different events

and processes that formed us as a

nation.”

The Indian of the Americas Exhibit

suffered damages in 2017 even

though some of its main pieces,

hyperrealism sculpture figures that

represent members of the different

indigenous ethnicities, and other artifacts

were not damaged. This exhibit

is expected to reopen during the

second half of the year and is being

redesigned to give more emphasis

on the Taino culture - the indigenous

that lived more than 500 years ago

in Puerto Rico and Greater Antilles.

The Plastic Arts exhibit features pottery,

basketry, homes and furniture,

parties and traditions as well as

traditional music instruments like the

cuatro and marimbula. There is a

small room with valuable models of

wood saints made by the Ricardo

Alegria collection.

“This is a multidisciplinary museum

with elements of art, history, and

anthropology that tell stories,” Lopez

said. “Through the seasonal

exhibits we balance the content of

At the Museo del Mar you will see

the impressive side of the maritime

history in Puerto Rico.

the permanent displays with more

current and varied projects.”

In the rooms that feature seasonal

exhibits, there will be a display in

May and June by Ivan Girona, one

of the most distinguished young artists

of Puerto Rico.

Also, there will be a tribute exhibit

of the Art School of San

Juan during August and September

to commemorate its 50 year

anniversary.

The museum has a store where

you can buy handicrafts, books,

music, and souvenirs. The general

admission is $6 and $4 for children

under 12 years of age as well

as for adults over 62. There are

tours in English and Spanish and it

opens from Tuesday to Friday from

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4

p.m.; and Saturday from 12 p.m.

to 5 p.m. Every other Sunday of

every month the museum holds an

open house with free admission.

For more information call (787)

724-5052 or visit www.museolasamericas.org.

Museo del Mar

Located on 360 San Francisco

Street, just one block from Plaza

Colon is an interesting place

called the Museo del Mar. Here

you will see the impressive side of

the maritime history in Puerto Rico

from civil to military to the arrival of

the European conquerors with the

expedition of Christopher Columbus

in 1492 to date.

“We tell history through a collection

of maritime articles, maps, models,

images, and routing instruments,”

said Manuel Minero, curator of the

museum.

Close to the door is a map that

demonstrates the voyages from an

island that is now called the United

States by Juan Ponce de Leon,

the Spanish conqueror of Puerto

Rico. He headed an expedition

to Florida in 1512 and returned in

1521 when he died by arrows shot

21

The Museum de la

Americas’ mission is to

offer a concentrated vision

of the history and culture

of the Americas from the

pre-Columbian era to the

present with an emphasis

on Puerto Rico.

by indigenous of the region while

searching for the mystical Fountain

of Youth.

In the museum you can see a Spanish

coin collection from the Conquista

era like maravedies and real silver,

the coin most used in America during

those times.

An object, not too old but curious,

is an autographed photograph of

Christopher Columbus of Carvajal,

and Duke of Veragua, a descendant

of 18 generations of Admiral

Columbus.

There is small scale replicas of the

three ships used during the Christopher

Columbus’ Discovery of

America mission by the Europeans.

They were made in 1992 for the

500 year commemoration event in

Puerto Rico. The Santa Maria carried

a crew of 40 and La Pinta and La

Niña were two smaller vessels.

Aboard the vessels, Minero explained,

were pilots that not only

knew how to orientate themselves

by using the stars but also drew the

coasts to make cartographies. They

There is an assortment of replicas and styles of astrolabes at the Museo del

Mar used to navigate by using stars.

submitted these drawings to the main

pilot in Sevilla who would connect the

drawings like a puzzle and develop

maps.

One of the most interesting items in

the museum is a mockup that illustrates

the siege of the churches in

San Juan in 1797. The movement

of ships and troops in this battle by

6,000 Puerto Rican militants that

supported the Spanish soldiers was

decisive in repelling the attack.

And there was a replica of one of

the barges that were used in the 18th

century to extract sediment from the

bay and sustain a secure canal for

the entry of boats.

One of the most valuable objects at

the museum is the astrolabe of Rincon

that was constructed in 1616. It was

found in 1987 close to the coast of

Rincon, situated on the western region

of the island. Similarly there are

an assortment of replicas and styles

of astrolabe that are old instruments

used to navigate by using stars as a

point of reference.

There are photos and mock ups of

the Titanic, the most representative

of the steam boat era. There are

also pictures and memorabilia of the

first steam boats in Puerto Rico that

belonged to the Porto Rico Line, a

company that started with Spanish

and U.S. interests before the Hispanic

American War in 1898 and

remained with the owners of the U.S.

During the First World War, the Germans

sank a ship from this line, the

Carolina that was departing from

New York and another, Coamo

was sunk by a German submarine

in the Atlantic while it served as a

barge hospital with injured soldiers

aboard. These were cargo vessels

but in 1917 most were converted

into passenger vessels and it was

the only commercial way to travel

between Puerto Rico and the U.S.

mainland, once traffic increased as

Puerto Ricans obtained U.S. citizenship

that year.

This continued to be the main mode

of transportation to and from Puerto

Rico in the 1940s and 1950s as air

traffic began to rise.

The Museo del Mar has the

largest collection of life preservers


The Museo del Mar has the largest collection of life preservers in the world,

certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

in the world, certified by the Guinness

Book of World Records. Among

them is one from Tynwald, which

participated in the battle of

Dunkirk during the Second World

War and Grozny. The Soviet vessel

tried to break the U.S. siege of taking

nuclear missiles to Cuba and with

its withdrawal it is believed was the

reason for avoiding a nuclear war.

Also, there are assorted boat bells

including one from the U.S. San

Juan that fought in the Pacific during

the Second World War. There

is a flag from the boat that shows

signs of shrapnel of some of the

naval battles.

The Museo del Mar opens Tuesday

to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for

seniors, and $2 for children.

For more information call (787) 977-

4461 or visit the Facebook page:

el museo del mar.

La Casa del Libro

Book aficionados have a place to

visit on 255 Cristo Street. Inside a

traditional large house situated in

front of the iconic Cristo Chapel is

La Casa del Libro, a museum and

special library dedicated to the art

of books and the display of rare

books with historical value.

“The museum is dedicated to the culture

and art of books from binding,

printing, typography, engraving,

calligraphy, illustration and photography,”

said Museum Director Karen

Cana-Cruz. “We alternate our exhibits

every three to four months and then

we present an exhibit of an artist or

artists who work on the art of books.”

Founded by renowned editor and

printer Elmer Adler in 1955, the

museum has a collection of over

6,000 rare books which includes

a volume of the first book in history

never printed, the Chronicles of

Nuremberg of 1493.

The collection includes valuable

documents like one page of the

first bible printed by the inventor of

the printer, Johannes Gutenberg in

1454, Cana-Cruz added.

Also it has two manuscripts of

1493 signed by the Catholic Kings,

An artistic trove of masterpieces from the 15th century to the present

and contemporary Puerto Rican and Latin American art.

General Information

Hours | Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tuesday closed

Guided Tours | 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. | Sundays 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Admission | Members: free of charge Students and seniors over 60: $3.00 General public: $6.00

Fernando of Aragon and Isabel of

Castilla, which is believed to be the

oldest documents to exist in America

related to the expedition of Admiral

Christopher Columbus to the New

World.

“The invention of the printer increased

the access of information

in a way similar to the Internet during

the end of the 20th century,”

said Cana-Cruz. The collection

of rare books includes 400 early

prints from 1450 to 1490 - the

first 50 years since the printer was

invented.

All the rare books are not permanently

exhibited only temporary selected

volumes from the collection and the

remainder is kept in a suitable condition

for conservation.

On the first floor, antique presses

are exhibited and among them is a

French Koine of 1812 that arrived

in Puerto Rico in 1867 and is believed

was used by famous Puerto

Rican writers like the poet Jose de

Diego. Also you can see a Chandler

& Price of 1903 and a Vandercook

of 1925.

La Casa del Libro offers workshops

from typography to the fabrication

of paper and it has a store that permits

visitors to buy reproductions,

exposition catalogs, art, handmade

jewelry, stationary, books and other

unique gifts.

Admission is $4.50 adults and $2.50

students. Open Tuesday to Saturday

from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information

call (787) 723-0354 or visit

www.lacasadellibro.org.

Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum

A few minutes by foot from la Casa

del Libro is the Felisa Rincon de

Gautier Museum, dedicated to a

variety of memorabilia of one of the

most interesting personalities and

ambassador of the history of San

Juan in the 20th century, who was

also mayor of San Juan for 22 years.

Waiting to greet Bienvenidos

was Hilda Rodriguez, daughter of

Hilda Jimanez, founder of the museum

and former secretary of the

mayor known to all as Doña Fela.

Doña Fela, who had a fashion

boutique in Old San Juan, was a

Casa del Libro is a museum and special library dedicated to the

art of books and the display of rare books with historical value.

Felisa Rincon de Gautier was known for her elegant attire and was

distinguished by a high bun.

women’s-rights activist in favor of the

right for women to vote and that privilege

in Puerto Rico was achieved

in 1932; six years later she helped

initiate the Popular Democrat Party

that dominated the island’s politics

for three decades, and also was

the mayor of San Juan from 1946

to 1968.

Upon retirement at the age of 71,

Doña Fela moved and resided for

three years in the house that was

converted in 1987 into the museum

dedicated about her life and she

was able to enjoy it since she died

at the age of 97 in 1994.

The first floor of the house has a

great collection of photographs that

included the legendary event where

she transported in 1952 refrigerated

snow inside a cargo plane to Luis

Munoz Rivera Park in San Juan to

show kids that never saw snow.

Doña Fela was a clever politician

with ideas that captivated the imagination

of the town like when she

transported snow and her tradition

to join the crowds and jump backwards

into the ocean for good luck

during the traditional Noche de San

Juan celebration at Escambron public

beach, which is also documented in

the photo exhibit.

The mayor was known for her elegant

attire and her Spanish hand

fans and as she got older she was

distinguished by a high bun and

large dark glasses. On the second

floor you can see her bedroom and

outfits. Also, there is her large collection

of Spanish fans and cute photos

of kids dressed up as Doña Fela in

school activities.

Besides being known for her colorful

personality, Doña Fela is recognized

for her hard work that includes


developing public hospitals in the

city, parks, roads, nursing homes,

preservation of historical buildings

in Old San Juan and the creation of

a network of centers for pre-school

kids that was avant-garde for its time.

When President John F. Kennedy visited

Puerto Rico in 1961 he learned

about the preschool centers program

that was developed by Doña Fela in

San Juan and he gave instructions to

develop a similar initiative at the federal

level in the U.S. mainland, which

became the Head Start program that

still is active. From that historic visit of

Kennedy to Puerto Rico, two years

before his tragic assassination in Dallas,

there is an oleo portrait of him

which he gave to Doña Fela as a

personal gift.

The exposition includes photos of

Doña Fela with Kennedy, Lydon B.

Johnson and Richard Nixon and

with vice president Hubert Humphrey,

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

and with New York Mayor Abe

Beame, among other important

political figures. Also, there was a

handwritten thank you letter signed

by Dwight D. Eisenhower after his

visit to Puerto Rico.

Doña Fela was named a Goodwill

Ambassador of the United States

and also was a committee chairwoman

of the Democratic Party in

Puerto Rico.

Her distinction in U.S. political affairs

and her photos with important

politicians demonstrates her great

influence in the Puerto Rican community

in New York.

Kennedy was grateful for Doña Fela’s

help and said that her participation

with the Puerto Rican community

in New York during the presidential

You can see the 166 keys Felisa Rincon de Gautier received from different

cities as an honorary visitor.

campaign of 1960 was important

in achieving his victory by a slight

margin.

Although never finished high school

because she took over the job of

raising her eight younger siblings after

being orphaned, she received 11

honorary doctorate titles that formed

part of the museum’s exhibit and in

1954 she was named “Woman of

the Americas.”

You can also see the 131 awards,

plaques, and merits that were

given to her by countries and cities

and the 166 keys she received

from different cities as an honorary

visitor.

For more information call (787)

723-1897 or (787) 724-7239 or

visit www.museofelisarincon.com/

casamuseo.

SANTURCE ES LEY

celebrates artistic

empowerment through

amazing

murals

By RAFAEL VEGA CURRY

There was an era when artists would

have been reprimanded for painting

on abandoned buildings but times have

changed, for the most part in the Santurce

Arts District.

Santurce es Ley (Santurce is Law) celebrates artistic

empowerment which transformed an urban

neglected neighborhood into a fashion forward

open-air art gallery showcasing an amazing public

display of murals created by great artists from Puerto

Rico and around the world.

Santurce es Ley Urban Art Festival is an annual

celebration that takes place technically in Santurce

but closer to the Miramar district on Hoare

and Cerra streets. Last year, about 20 artists participated

not only from Puerto Rico but from the

Dominican Republic, Holland, England, Canada,

and U.S mainland. As you walk through Cerra

Street you can instantly feel the artsy vibe and

the uplifting energy emanating from the people,

the art on the buildings, and the galleries open

to the general public so they can walk around

and explore.


But Santurce es Ley is much more. Visitors can

listen to great live bands or Djs, grab local street

fare sold at food trucks, buy artisan made goods

and tattoos, run into friends to grab a beer at

popular bars like El Watusi and Las Palmas, or

just have a great time hanging out and making

new friends.

There’s lots of liveliness, hunger to explore, and an

air of youthfulness not only physically but spiritually.

A smile or friendly gesture, a genuine quality

of Puerto Ricans, never fails.

Nonetheless, this festival began in an unpredicted

manner.

Eight years ago, Alexis Bousquet had an audacious

idea. The artist who owned his own gallery

on Cerra Street was looking to do something

different, so he decided to take his art out to the

Dominican artist Evaristo

Angurria painted a mural that

embodies two women – a

red and blue – to represent a

fraternal tie between Puerto

Rico and its sister country, the

Dominican Republic.

Santurce es Ley transforms

an urban neglected

neighborhood into a

fashion forward open-air

art gallery showcasing

amazing murals created by

great artists from Puerto

Rico and around the world.

street, literally – and decided to hold a street art

fair. The event was so successful, Bousquet decided

to develop a strategic plan.

“We painted murals and lots of people arrived,”

Bousquet told Bienvenidos. “We noticed that we

could change this neighborhood that was extremely

abandoned.”

He began his quest to search for muralists for

the next edition, making himself a curator of the

event. “It’s interesting what the artists say through

their work. They are powerful messages. Even

if the artists are foreign they become affected

about what’s happening in Puerto Rico. Their art

tell stories about frustration with the government,

corruption, among other issues.”

There is art that asks questions, whimsical, that

begs to be explored deeper and there is art about

where Puerto Rico came from, it is, and currently

heading.

Canadian muralist Danae Brissonet showcases a

mystical creature with elements that symbolize the

ocean, hurricane, and natural richness of Puerto

Rico. Meanwhile, the mural painted by Dominican

artist Evaristo Angurria from impressionism to realism

represents two women – a red and blue – that

rembodies a fraternal tie between Puerto Rico and

its sister country, the Dominican Republic.

The 2018 edition of Santurce es Ley also included

an installation called “Are we okay” from artist Mark

27

As the night falls and the

darkness makes it difficult

to appreciate with clarity

the details of the murals and

plastic arts, an evening of

partying begins.

Rivera, where a toy car (represented the Financial

Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico)

goes on a rollercoaster built over trash – debris left

behind by the hurricane. The artwork provokes

curiosity and reflection.

Next the visitor comes across a mural of two doves

intertwined painted by Ana Marietta and the

pigeon created by Belgian artist Adele Renault.

Both stimulate the imagination and invite visitors

to keep exploring this renovated environment on

Cerra Street that despite the presence of these

works of art conserves its old school neighborhood

ambiance.

According to Bousquet, the selected artists to

take part in Santurce es Ley are distinguished

for the quality of their work and tendency to

continue working no matter any limitation that c

ould occur.

“Sometimes the artists are not well known but they

should be and other times they are talented and

the event provides promotion,” Bousquet added.

As the night falls and the darkness makes it difficult

to appreciate with clarity the details of the

murals and plastic arts. Now the day acquires

another dynamic, an evening of partying. From

the speakers, the loud salsa music playing reminds

us that we are at the quintessential corner

of the Caribbean, where Ruben Blades sings for

us to continue “buscando guayaba” and Hector

Lavoe reminds us to “entren, que caben cien.”

The celebration just begins. There is so much

more to see in Santurce and its Bousquet who

keeps reminding us. “It’s important to search

for more information of what was and is Santurce.

Not to only be aware of what you see

at first sight.” So come to the next festival and

immerse yourself entirely in the canvas called

Santurce.

Mural painted by Puerto Rican illustrator Sergio Vazquez aka Sergio Stuff situated on Cerra Street in Santurce.


The Puerto Rico

Symphony Orchestra:

60 years

of musical

excellence

Conductor

Maximiano

Valdes of the

Puerto Rico

Symphony

Orchestra.

By EUGENIO HOPGOOD

Time appears to standstill

at the Pablo Casals Symphony

Hall when you listen

to the crystalline voice of

Puerto Rican soprano Ana Maria

Martinez over the orchestra’s opening

chords of The Jewel Song of the

Faust opera by French composer

Charles Gounod.

The charisma of Ana Maria, who

has shared lead with megastars

like Andrea Boccelli and Placido

Domingo; the commanding figure

of conductor Maximiano Valdes together

with the emotive and precise

execution by the musicians formed

the perfect ambiance for the 60th anniversary

Gala Concert of the Puerto

Rico Symphony Orchestra.

The 60-year commemoration of

Puerto Rico’s most significant music

ensemble, founded by legendary

cellist Pablo Casals in 1958, took

place in November 2018 in the

Hall that shares his name at the Luis

A. Ferre Performing Arts Center in

Santurce – the place the orchestra

has called home for the past

10 years.

The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra

keeps a tight schedule that

consist of a 10-month season (August

– May) with weekly concerts

at the Pablo Casals Symphony Hall

as well as the prestigious Casals

Festival and special community

presentations.

According to Valdes, who is responsible

for polishing the sound


SCENE AND BE SEEN

The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra stands out for their ability to play an ample repertoire.

and broadening the orchestra’s

repertoire for the past decade,

“Puerto Rico should feel proud of its

ensemble.”

“They are an extremely generous

orchestra that gives it their all when

they perform,” said Valdes, who has

led the orchestras of Principality of

Asturias and in Buffalo. “I feel the

Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra is

highly ranked in the Americas, and

without a doubt, ranks as the best in

the Caribbean and one of the best

in Latin America.”

And who would know better

than Valdes who has also conducted

main orchestras in Europe

such as the London Philharmonic

Orchestra and the France National

Symphony.

Besides musical excellence, the Puerto

Rico Symphony Orchestra stands

out for their unusual ability to play an

ample repertoire that transcends the

classical works of the 19th century

and beginning of the 20th century.

Carlos Ruiz, executive director of the

Pablo Casals Symphony Hall at the Luis A. Ferre Performing Arts Center in Santurce.

31

The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra keeps a tight schedule that consists of a 10-month season (August – May).

Musical Arts Corporation, says Puerto

Rican musicians are among the

most versatile at a global level and

the orchestra executes classical music

brilliantly but at the same time can

perform with artists that play jazz,

pop and Puerto Rican folk music.

“We have performed concerts with

salsa singer Gilberto Santarrosa,

Caribbean jazz composer William

Cepeda, classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma,

celebrated composer and conductor

Krysztof Penderecki, and with reggaeton

sensation Daddy Yankee at

the Latin American Music Awards in

Los Angeles,” Ruiz added.

From Beethoven to Broadway

and Star Wars

One of the biggest challenges of the

orchestra is to draw large crowds

during its concert season in Puerto

Rico, which residents are more prone

to listen to popular music.

“When we (symphonic orchestra)

performed the Symphonie Fantastique

Berlioz and the sound echoes

throughout the Hall, it’s a unique

experience that enters one’s pores

where you have to say wow, how

incredible!” said Velazquez. “And

when the people feel it, they may

return another day and listen to a

symphony by Mahler or Beethoven,

and then they realize there is a lot of

cliché in the notion that classical music

is not entertaining; it’s like pop music,

there are some good and enjoyable

songs and others not so much.”

No one doubts that the inclusion of

contemporary cinematic and theatrical

music as well as the variation of

popular genre helps attract a larger

and more diverse crowd to the symphony

hall.

With much success, the Puerto Rico

Symphony Orchestra presented the

music of John Williams Star Wars

saga in 2015 and 2017 and Disney

hits from Aladdin and Pocahontas.

This 2018-2019 season is absolutely

no exception, which began with the

music of Leonard Bernstein including

hits from acclaimed films and/or

plays On The Waterfront, and West


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Inclusion of contemporary cinematic and theatrical attracts a larger

crowd to the symphony hall.

Puerto Rican soprano Ana Maria Martinez has shared lead with megastars like

Andrea Boccelli and Placido Domingo.

Side Story as well as Walt Disney:

A Decade In Concert,” Lord of the

Rings, and a selection of favorite

TV shows and Movies (scheduled

for April 6) and a concert of Frank

Sinatra’s Greatest Hits set for June 8.

It’s definitely all about the music.

Violinist Jose Daniel de Jesus remembers

an experience that moved him

during a past performance of a Disney

music concert.

“The last song we performed was

Disney’s It’s a Small World and I

got emotional when I witnessed a

16 year old teen cry while I was

playing and I could just imagine he

was remembering something from

his past possibly when he visited

a Disney park as a child with his

parents or maybe with a grandparent

who passed away,” De Jesus

said. “It just moved me to think that

the orchestra and its music could

transport a person to remember past

experiences or simply unforgettable

moments. That is the true power

of music.”

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By PETER MARTIN

On one recent night, the

Puerto Rico Convention

Center District was deceptively

quiet with a

few party buses idling by and a

girl taking selfies beside the massive

pillars of the iconic shell-like structure.

At the luxurious Sheraton Puerto

Rico Hotel lobby, a few couples

were lost in their conversation over

drinks, while others lined the bar

to partake of liquid spirits and the

latest entertainment emanating from

screen above.

But inside the casino, it was a

different story. The room buzzed

with the sounds of people and pleasure,

the bright lights of giant slot

machines, and the music of a band

that was equally as adept at local

and U.S. rhythms. Animated conversation

punctuated the music at

the packed bar that dazzled under

the light of a resplendent chandelier.

Suddenly, the band broke into a lively

rhythm and a singer intoned a familiar

tune: Happy Birthday to You.

A casino may not seem likeliest spot

to celebrate a birthday but that just


shows how Puerto Rico casinos are

no longer just a place to pursue

jackpots. Island casinos have transformed

into one of Puerto Rico’s newest

entertainment alternative where

the public can seek diversion and

visitors to the island can get a taste

of the local color, not to mention try

out their salsa moves.

“Casinos have reinvented themselves,”

said Ismael Vega, general

manager of the Casino Metro.

“They’re a place where you can

have a drink, enjoy music, where

there is safety and Wi-Fi. It’s no

longer where you go play.”

That’s not to say that casino play

and games of chance have taken a

back seat. Casinos still have a solid

clientele of aficionados and you’ll

find serious play at the roulette and

black jack tables and the feature

latest evolutions in gaming. Visitors

who like to play will love that local

casinos’ enticing promotions and

special drawings tied to play and

featuring trips, cars and cash. But by

expanding casino offerings to include

different kinds of live entertainment

and a dance floor for the nimble,

casinos have boosted their appeal

and are a draw for anyone looking

for some fun and entertainment. Not

only do casinos have their own bar,

but they often sport their own restaurant

or deliver from other restaurants

within hotel premises.

Live musical entertainment and

broadcasting major sporting events

Casino Metro at the Sheraton Puerto Rico has expanded its offerings to include live entertainment like the most popular salsa

band, El Gran Combo.

are by now a staple at island casinos

and can be enjoyed primarily on

weekends, with some hotels bringing

in local or outside groups for special

occasions.

Casino Metro at the Sheraton Puerto

Rico, the largest casino on the island

and that is celebrating its ninth anniversary,

offers live music at night from

Thursday through Sunday but, at least

once a month Metro Stage Live presents

a special show. Past acts have included

a magic show, a troubadours’

competition, and performances by the

likes of Pedro Capo, El Gran Combo

and Grupo Mania. The casino, that

has 27 table games and 474 slots,

has a video wall as its focal point

where boxing matches, movies and

promotions are showcased.

At the Costa Caribe Casino, at the

Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino, you’re

likely to hear groups playing salsa and

merengue on Fridays and Saturdays

but on Sundays things get mellow and

the trio groups that perform take listeners

back to the good old days with

Bohemia music. One popular entertainer

who gets invited several times

a year to perform at Costa Caribe is

troubadour Julio Cesar Sanabria. He

is an admired performer of decimas, jibaro

country music rooted in medieval

Spain and traditionally played with

a cuatro, guitar and güiro, or scratch

gourd. According to Casino Director

Samuel Alicea, Sanabria has no

trouble, if asked, turning the first name

and last name of a casino client into

a rhyme for a decima.

Miguel Vega, president of HI Development

PR Corp., which runs Tropical

Casinos at the Hyatt Place in

Bayamon and Holiday Inn in Ponce

and Mayaguez, said all three casinos

hold special events on holidays

like Christmas or observances like

Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day and

Mother’s Day. Entertainment at the

Tropical casinos includes live music

and stand-up comedy. They even

Casinos are a place where you can have a drink and enjoy music. It’s no longer where you just go to play.

Atlantico offers a changing program

of entertainment at its popular Blu

Bar. There is live music on weekends

and performances by the likes

of Tully Diaz, Rafael Jose, and Son

Ardiente. With 8,800-square-feet

of space and 303 slot machines in

addition to six gaming tables, Casino

Atlantico is the newest casino

on the island, having opened five

years ago.

celebrate the Fiestas de la Calle

San Sebastian, the traditional fourday

festival honoring Saint Sebastian

that is held every year in old San

Juan around mid-January. The Fiestas,

which draw hundreds of thousands

of people to the cobbled streets of

the old city, feature musical events, art

shows, and a parade of characters

representing the folklore of Puerto

Rico, including the Cabezudos, large

papier mache faces of famous folks.

Another casino whose entertainment

calendar celebrates the local culture is

Oasis Casino at the Embassy Suites by

Hilton in Isla Verde. The casino, which

has 180 slots and seven casino tables,

considers itself one of the best on the

island for its multi-level progressive jackpots

and computerized player tracking

system. Every summer the casino holds

a month-long Fiesta Patronal patterned

after the patron saint feasts held by

Puerto Rican towns island-wide. To

make the activity more realistic and

colorful, artisans are invited to sell

their crafts and carts are set up to sell

local delights such as piraguas (syrup

covered snow cones), ice cream, and

chicharrones (fried pork rinds).

The hotel also holds its version of

the Fiestas de San Sebastian except

that it calls them Las Fiestas de la

Calle Oasis. As part of the event,

which also takes place in January,

t-shirts are sold and are quite a collectible

item. When not playing at

the casino, a person is likely to go

there to watch a sports game on

Some casinos open all night, others have shorter hours of operation. One thing they

have in common is holding regular promotions designed to encourage players to

visit more often.

one of the casino’s giant screens,

eat dinner at El Patio restaurant then

step to the bar area to listen to music

and dance. Live music is played on

week-ends and leans towards merengue,

salsa and Bohemia. Starting

in January, Oasis will begin a

renovation of its 7,000-square-foot

space to be carried out in sections

so as not to disrupt normal operations.

Cosmetic improvements will

include the ceiling, rugs and new

tablecloths for the gaming tables.

The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris

Casino in Condado has music

on week-ends not inside the casino

but in the nearby lobby area. The hotel

hires bands to play varied types of

music and every two months there are

private concerts for casino members.

The Ballroom brings in international

artists and famous local talents like

Francisco Cespedes, Danny Rivera,

and the Sanabria Family. Other

shows booked by the hotel include

comedy and impressionist acts and

pay-per-view boxing events.

At the Hyatt Place in Manati, a short

distance from Puerto Rico’s stunning

Mar Chiquita Beach, the Casino

Puerto Rico currently has 16 casinos.

Some casinos open all night, others

have shorter hours of operation.

One thing they have in common,

though, is holding regular promotions

designed to encourage players

to visit more often and increase

their wagering. In September, for

example, one lucky player won a

$20,000 Corolla in one of many

promotions the Oasis carried out

throughout the year. Another popular

prize is cruises and Oasis has gifted

cabins on cruises sailing to the Bahamas,

Cuba, the Caribbean and

Mexico. At the Ponce Hilton, the

casino celebrated its 25th anniversary

this year by disbursing some

$25,000 in cash prizes, including

a grand prize of $10,000.

Of course, if you are a regular player

you might consider becoming a casino

member, which confers any

number of benefits and privileges.

But even without a membership

card, players get courtesy drinks and

snacks while they play. At Marriott’s

Stellaris, players get courtesy refreshments,

beers, liquor, coffee, chocolate,

and piña coladas. For a snack,

they are served hot dogs, hamburgers,

sandwiches, soup, or oatmeal.

On special days, ice cream, and

complete meals. They also have a

Chinese restaurant inside the casino

- fresh food at a moment’s notice.

Players can accumulate points which

they can exchange for food, cash or

hotel stays.


Bomba!

A hands-on exploration

of Puerto Rico’s powerful

expression of African

heritage

By PETER MARTIN

A

short drive from San Juan’s

international airport, the

vibrant oceanfront community

of Piñones is a

feast for the senses.

A constant sea breeze is infused

with the scrumptious scent of criollo

food and carries a Caribbeaninfused

soundtrack from dueling

stereo systems mixed with crashing

surf.

At the intersection where the

breathtaking blues of the Atlantic

Ocean meet the emerald maze of

the island’s largest mangrove forest,

Piñones offers a wide range of sun

and sand activities from bike rides

along the beach to fishing for tarpon

in the lush Torrecillas Lagoon.

Soaking up the rays, barefoot and

cold beverage in hand is surely a

great way to pass the day – or

several. But many modern travelers

are looking past postcard perfect

panoramas to unwind the threads

of Puerto Rico’s rich cultural fabric.

Piñones provides a unique opportunity

to dig deeper into Puerto Rico’s


“Bomba is the base of everything”.

Maricruz Rivera Clemente

Bomba is a drum-driven

AfroCaribbean musical

genre for dance that

stands as the island’s

oldest indigenous

musical tradition still

being practiced today.

powerful expression of African

heritage -bomba, the drum-driven

musical genre for dance that stands

as perhaps the island’s oldest indigenous

musical tradition still being

practiced today.

Bomba can be characterized

as the beating heart of an Afro-

Caribbean culture –derived from

West Africa, through the importation

of slaves to Puerto Rico from

that region, which has survived

myriad challenges and continues

to thrive in the shadow of San Juan

and beyond. Playing an important

role in preserving that legacy is the

Corporacion Piñones Se Integra, or

COPI, a community-based nonprofit

organization that uses the Cultural

and Ecotouristic Center of Piñones

that sits at the eastern entrance to

Piñones at the confluence of the

Boca de Cangrejos Bay and the

Torrecillas Lagoon.

Founded nearly two decades

ago by sociologist and social

worker Maricruz Rivera Clemente,

COPI works to improve

conditions for Piñones residents,

businesses and visitors

through a range of initiatives

including community empowerment

and microenterprise

development.

Front and center in the effort is

bomba.

“Bomba is the base of everything,”

Rivera Clemente tells

Bienvenidos, noting that COPI’s

bomba workshops and classes,

Afro-Puerto Rican music shows

[bomba y plena] are open to the

public and vital to the mission to

preserve and raise awareness

about this cultural cornerstone.

In the process, COPI provides an

unmatched opportunity for visitors

and corporate groups to grab a

hold of Puerto Rico’s cultural roots

through active participation in

bomba classes (the second and

last Friday of the month), putting

their hands to work pounding

away on barrel drums or putting

the rest of their bodies through

the paces on the dance floor

replete with traditional twirling

skirts.

Typically, a bomba starts with a

female solo voice who sings a

phrase evoking a primitive call.

The chorus makes an antiphonal

response supported by the musicians

who provide the 2/4 or 6/8

rhythm with various percussion instruments.

Meanwhile, the dancers

proceed with their movements, in

41

pairs and without contact, taking

turns challenging the drums.

While COPI runs regular scheduled

bomba workshops and

shows, corporate groups can always

reach out to set up group

classes. COPI also hosts performances

by its Majestad Negra

folkloric ballet troupe.

Bomba team building classes are

fun and, more importantly, can be

tailored to improve performance

and enhance workplace culture.

“Everyone is welcome and everyone

can take part,” Rivera Clemente

says. “We want to share this

with the world.”

A melting pot of Spanish, African

and Taino traditions permeates

Puerto Rico, with those three pillars

forming a unique identity of which

islanders and members of the farflung

diaspora remain fiercely and

justly proud. The island’s cuisine,

vocabulary, architecture and arts

are all informed by this heady mix.

While bomba has been sometimes

billed as a blend of the three pillars

of Puerto Rican culture, it is more

accurately celebrated as a living

reflection of the island’s African

heritage, a vital plank in the cultural

base that cannot be overlooked or

verstated.

Bomba was built from hardship,

pain and deprivation. It sprang

from the musical traditions carried

by Africans in bondage on 17th

century slave ships to Puerto Rico,

branching out over time to include

well over a dozen distinct rhythms

with discrete dance steps for each.

Bomba took shape on Puerto Rico’s

sprawling sugar plantations as a

COPI provides bomba classes (the second and last Friday of the month) for visitors and corporate groups to grab a hold of

Puerto Rico’s cultural roots.

Majestad Negra folkloric ballet troupe performs at the Cultural and Ecotouristic

Center of Piñones.

multi-faceted form of expression, of

communication and, at times, rebellion,

and it was carried deep into

dense havens for escaped slaves

such as Piñones.

As the Smithsonian Museum’s Folkways

Magazine states, “To them,

bomba music was a source of political

and spiritual expression. The

lyrics conveyed a sense of anger

and sadness about their condition,

and songs served as a catalyst

COPI also rents bicycles in Piñones through CicloNatura.

for rebellions and uprisings. But

bomba also moved them to dance

and celebrate, helping them create

community and identity.”

But bomba is not an art form relegated

to the museum shelves. It is

alive and well and surging along

new avenues as artists push its percussive

pulse across genres, opening

new horizons in the process.

Purists need not fret, traditional

bomba is also in practice, thanks

in part to efforts to preserve and

share this iportant part of Puerto

Rico’s cultural legacy by COPI.


Kayak rentals are done through the micro-enterprise, AcuaNatura.

COPI’s classes concentrate on

the seven classic rhythms that

define bomba in Piñones and in

the broader municipality of Loiza

of which it is part. Participants

will enjoy hands-on instruction in

bomba drum rhythms and dance

steps.

“We want people to know

they shouldn’t feel scared. The

idea is to play and dance as

if nobody is watching,” Rivera

Clemente says.

As a donor-driven nonprofit, COPI

relies on donations as an important

revenue source to continue its mission,

so participants should be prepared

to give back a bit for the gift

of bomba.

Plan to make at least a day of

your visit to Piñones as COPI also

rents kayaks and bicycles through

the AcuaNatura and CicloNatura

micro-enterprises, respectively. For

more information you can enter

www.copipr.com.

And make sure to bring your appetite

for Puerto Rican fare and thirst

for new adventures.

A MUST-VISIT

EXPERIENCE

TO DISCOVER WHY

PUERTO RICO IS THE RUM

PARADISE OF THE WORLD

Puerto Rico is distinguished by the

production of the rum that delight

the palates of millions of consumers

around the world: BACARDÍ. The rum

distilleries of the Caribbean have invested

centuries and much effort in perfecting their

methods of distillation, aging and mixing to

produce the wide variety of rums that are

made in the region. Along these lines, Puerto

Rico has been historically recognized as

one of the most important rum producers

on the planet, thanks to the presence that

BACARDÍ distillery has had for decades and

its uninterrupted production of the highest

quality rums.

Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico is one of the most

visited places on the island, both by tourists

and by the local public. For those interested

in living the experience of the visit to the

fullest, there are two options with a duration

one and a half hours: The Mixology Class

Tour and the Rum Tasting Tour. Each of these

experiences focuses on giving the visitor an

in-depth sample, either of rum tasting or to

show them how to prepare the most iconic

cocktails, using the BACARDÍ rum portfolio.

For shorter visits, the Historical Tour is the

perfect option to know the history of the

distillery and Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico,

while enjoying a cocktail at the waterfront

Bat Bar Pavilion.

The BACARDÍ Corporation also has a strong

commitment towards the communities they

serve and to the protection and mitigation

of its environmental footprint. This year,

the facilities achieved the Wildlife Habitat

Council Conservation Certification, through

The Bats Conservation Awareness project,

contributing to the conservation of the bat

species, which are the only native mammal

species remaining in Puerto Rico. In addition

to raise awareness among surrounding

community members, employees and visitors

about these species in the area and their

importance in the Island’s ecosystem, bat

houses were installed among Casa BACARDÍ.

ADVERTORIAL

So, either if you are a rum expert or just an

enthusiast, any visit to Puerto Rico will be

complete with the experience and taste of

this renowned location. The doors at Casa

BACARDÍ Puerto Rico open every day at 9:00

AM and for the tourists, it is easily accessible

via the Old San Juan Ferry to Cataño, as well

as Uber or taxi. More information about Casa

BACARDÍ Puerto Rico offerings, tours, hours

of operations and events can be found at

www.casabacardi.com.

CULINARY GUSTO

The chefs manning

the hottest

restaurants

in Puerto Rico

Gonzalo Rivera, executive chef of El San Juan Hotel in Isla Verde.

45

Discovering all the natural and cultural diversity

of this surprising island fills every trip to Puerto Rico

with assorted pleasures, and none may be deeper

and more satisfying than the obligatory culinary

tour in pursuit of local flavor.

By PETER MARTIN

We don’t just mean

trying cocina criolla,

Puerto Rico’s

own contribution to

world gastronomy that includes such

iconic dishes as mofongo (mashed

fried plantains), lechon (roast suckling

pig), pasteles (a local tamales), arroz

con habichuelas (rice and beans),

and bacalaitos fritos (fried cod fritters).

These beloved traditional foods

go straight to the soul of island cuisine,

which is still very much a part

of the local food scene. But thanks

to the island’s burgeoning and ever

evolving gastronomy and the skills

of talented young chefs, San Juan

is the exciting food capital of the

Caribbean; the crossroads of flavors

blowing in from the multiple cuisines

of the region and into kitchens, big

Menus at El San Juan

Hotel, featuring 15 to

25 dishes, are changed

every three months depending

on seasonal

ingredients.

and small that create divine fusions

of tastes and new and memorable

dining experiences.

“Puerto Rico’s gastronomic scene is

super cool right now,” said star Chef

Rene Marichal. “There are lots of

young people with food proposals

that are fun and very well conceptualized.

I have had the opportunity

of traveling a little, both for pleasure

and to cook in different countries

and truthfully, we have nothing to

envy anyone. Our gastronomy is

very rich, full of flavors, aromas

and textures.”

San Juan’s food scene is highly diverse,

encompassing a wide variety

of choices from hot spots and highend

hotel restaurants to food trucks

Xiomara Bermudez is the Pastry Chef at Il Nuovo Mercato’s Starbene Caffe.

and concepts like Il Nuovo Mercato,

a high quality-food court and market

rolled into one incredible social-dining

space, and Lote 23, an open air

food hall in the heart of the city with

16 different chef driven food concepts

serving the public out of stalls

and Airstream trailers. The talented

men and women helming the kitchens

of these various enterprises are

hard-working professionals who think,

breathe, and talk food with gusto and

passion. Bienvenidos reached

out to some of the most outstanding

chefs currently wowing gourmands

and diners of all ages and tastes to

find out what they are like and their

approach to cooking. As different

as they all are, one common theme

emerged from the interviews and that

is the amazing level of commitment

these men and women have towards

their craft and their unflagging dedication

to what they do.

Take Gonzalo Rivera, the executive

chef of El San Juan Hotel in

Isla Verde, one of San Juan’s most

famous and iconic hotels. He easily

puts in 14 hour-days and thrives on

the satisfaction of pleasing diners.

“What attracts me (to this profession)

is to see my guests happy when

they are savoring my dishes and my

cooks learning from me and being

successful,” said Rivera, previously

the executive chef of Boca Beach

Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in

Florida.

An executive chef wears more than

one toque, head of the kitchen but

also a manager tasked with overseeing

staff, ordering inventory and

controlling costs. As El San Juan’s

executive chef, Rivera is in charge

of four restaurants (Caña, Aquarelle,

which is about to be renovated and

get a new name, El Cafecito and

the Chandelier Bar in the lobby)

and all banquet activities held at

the hotel. “In high season we can

be serving up to 3,500 meals per

day,” said the 41-year-old chef who

supervises a staff of 70 people.

Rivera, whose parents were migrant

workers, grew up in Gridley, a

California town of 4,000 residents.

His first industry job was in nearby


TREAT

YOURSELF

Chico, washing dishes at a friend’s

newly opened restaurant. Two months

after being hired the cook quit and

his friend set him up in the kitchen.

“It “fascinated me,” Rivera said. He

went on to study at the California

Culinary Academy, earning an Associate

of Arts degree in Culinary Arts

and Chef Training. The academy is

now Le Cordon Bleu. He later went

to work with Chef Michael Mina,

celebrity chef with a stateside chain

of eponymous restaurants who was

a mentor to Rivera, teaching him the

value of integrity and the importance

of details, using the best ingredients

and presentation.

Having worked in both hotels and

independent restaurants, Rivera sees

little difference between the two settings

but did insist on the importance

of excellence. “At a hotel like El San

Juan, we must always distinguish ourselves

as the best in the Caribbean

and that is how we run the entire operation.

From the restaurants to the

banquets and catering,” said Rivera.

Menus, featuring 15 to 25 dishes, are

changed every three months depending

on seasonal ingredients. The hotel

buys a lot of food products locally

based on quality and availability. Rivera

said that “we eat with our eyes,” so

creating dishes is all about making an

initial impression and then wowing the

Il Nuovo Mercato’s Starbene

Caffe produces around 300

bite size pastries daily .

diner with the properties of the food

such as its crunchiness, creaminess,

or acidity. “A diner comes to delight

his palate. A dish should always be

like a Russian roller coaster: the view,

the aromas, the texture,” he said. “The

techniques we use are slow and low.”

When he was a little boy, Rivera

dreamed of a baseball career. Still,

some of his dearest moments are the

hours spent in the family kitchen with

his paternal grandmother who “was

very important in my life.” He would

watch her cook though he was not

allowed to taste anything. As a high

school student he took a home economics

class. “I started making pies

and cakes to compete and always

won a blue ribbon,” said the chef. By

the time he had his first experience

working in that friend’s restaurant, he

was fully hooked.

Xiomara Bermudez is the Pastry

Chef at Il Nuovo Mercato’s Starbene

Caffe. Her work day starts at

5 a.m. and it is anyone’s guess when

it will be over. Her shift can easily

run 12 hours yet she thrives on the

challenge.

“The most challenging (part about

the job) is being able to complete

all the duties of the day and deliver

the quality and consistency the client

looks for. It doesn’t matter if you are

Aguadilla Rafael Hernandez (BQN) Airport 787-890-3311

Carolina L.M.M. International Airport 787-253-5926

(SJU – Car Rental Building)

Intercontinental Hotel, Isla Verde 787-982-4331

Ceiba Roosevelt Roads 787-885-0505

Mayaguez Sears Mayaguez Mall 787-805-5911

Ponce Sears Plaza del Caribe Mall 787-290-0581

Mercedita Airport 787-842-6154

San Juan 1021 Ave. Ashford 787-721-4499

Sears Plaza Las Americas 787-753-3083

Sheraton Centro de Convenciones 787-993-3633

Vieques Carr. 200 Montesanto 787-741-0284

USVI – St. Thomas Cyril E. King Airport 340-774-1468

Havensight Port 340-774-6660

Seaborne 340-776-7329

USVI – St. Croix Henry Rohlsen Airport 340-778-9355

Seaborne 340-713-1347

Cruises Port 340-778-9365

avis.com

© 2019 Avis Rent A Car, LLC

Adventure

awaits.

Aguadilla Rafael Hernandez Airport (BQN) 787-890-1110

Carolina L.M.M International Airport 787-791-0600

(SJU – Car Rental Building)

Ponce Mercedita Airport 787-848-0907

budget.com

© 2019 Budget Rent A Car, LLC

opening another Wok It at Plaza

Escorial, and in February, together

with Chef Raul Correa and Chef

Xavier Pacheco, we are opening

Bacoa, Finca y Fogon in Juncos,”

said the chef.

Chef Rene Marichal is co-owner

of three restaurants: Avocado,

Argento, and Wok It.

a man or a woman, this career is

for a person who is passionate and

loves what they do every day, that’s

the difference, the love with which

you do things,” she said, adding

that her work also required “a lot of

perseverance.”

A graduate of the culinary program

at the former MBTI Business Training

Institute, Bermudez said her industry

experiences include working for a

company that made traditional Puerto

Rican sweets and assisting chefs, including

the esteemed Augusto Schreiner,

at gastronomic events held

by Saborea Puerto Rico. “Any event

that came up I would go and help,

I wanted to learn and develop,” she

said. In 2016 Bermudez was a parttime

chef at the AFDA Fraternity in

Condado when she found out that an

Italy-based company was recruiting

for its new Puerto Rico business, Il

Nuovo Mercato. Hired in December

as a lead pastry cook, she rose to

pastry chef within three months. Besides

overseeing the dessert department,

she handles purchases and is

in charge of Starbene’s cleanup and

organization. It helps, she said, that

she works with a marvelous team of

30 people, out of 150 working at

Il Mercato.

“We produce quite a lot, around

300 bite size pastries daily and

week-ends, 280 liters of gelato

weekly, among other varieties of

sweets we probably produce more or

less 2,500 items weekly, sometimes

more, including baguettes, brioche,

milk bread, croissants, cheese turnovers.

All these are artisanal products

made with flour with no preservatives

or potassium bromate. Everything is

home made,” said the 35-year-old

mother of two teen boys.

Il Nuovo Mercato supports local

agriculture. Some of the products

purchased locally include fresh milk,

eggs, vegetables, pineapples, papayas,

and limes. Meanwhile, finding

ways to avoid throwing out food

has led to at least one sustainable

practice that also saves the company

money. Bermudez explained that all

unsold French bread is used to make

a popular bread pudding. First the

crust is removed and then the entire

inside dough is culled for the confection

of the bread pudding which is

made with milk instead of with water

for extra tastiness, Bermudez said.

Other popular desserts at Starbene

Caffe are artisanal cookies made

with different ingredients such as

anisette or almond dough, lemon

cream cake, and, of course, gelato.

Bermudez said the gelato is made

the Italian way using ingredients

flown expressly to the island from

Italy. She would not give away the

secret formula but did reveal one

clue: Italian ice cream is a lot creamier

than its stateside counterpart.

Talk about having a lot on your

plate. At 39, Chef Rene Marichal

is co-owner of three restaurants:

Avocado, Argento, and Wok It.

And there is more to come. “In December

we are opening Flip BRGR

Bar at Lote 23, in January we are

Marichal is a natural at what he

does. In fact he did not even study

culinary arts but instead earned a

Bachelor Degree in psychology from

Interamerican University of Puerto

Rico and put in two more years of

post-graduate studies in industrial and

organizational psychology at Carlos

Albizu University. “I never worked

for anyone, in 2007 I very daringly

opened my first business in Hato Rey,

The Fresh Grill,” he said, noting that

psychology has come in handy in

terms of structuring, organizing, and

understanding a business.

Though he has no formal training,

Marichal always loved cooking and

as a kid relished being in the kitchen

with his mom and grandmother. He

also has an appreciation for fresh

fish thanks to his 25 years as a sport

fisherman, another reason he credits

for his passion for the kitchen.

Simplicity is his defining trait as a

chef. “My cooking is simple and

fun, without pretensions. It is an

homage to my mother and grandmother,”

Marichal said. As for the

success of a dish, “it boils down to

this phrase: Think global, act local.

In other words, with a local product

I can create dishes with the influences

of any country. I love to work

with fresh fish, especially Cartucho

(queen red snapper).”

The food at Avocado is creative

Puerto Rican cuisine while Argento

features traditional dishes from Argentina

and Italy. Wok It is Asiatic

cuisine with Puerto Rican influences.


Chef Hector Escobar’s

Musa restaurant changes

its menu and decor every

three months.

“We have our lo mein noodles, made

in Caguas by a Chinese man, and

clients are free to choose between

seven sauces, all designed by me,

different proteins (char siu pork, fried

meat, chicken chicharron or chicken

cracklings, longaniza or pork sausage,

tofu and more), vegetables and

toppings. The creative combinations

clients can make are endless. It is lots

of fun,” Marichal said.

In speaking with San Juan’s talented

chefs another common theme arises:

the imaginative concepts behind their

restaurants. Take Musa. Enclosed on

the ground floor of a nondescript

building on colorful Cerra Street in

Miramar, this popular hot magnet for

foodies is the creation of Chef Hector

Escobar and his business partner,

Yamil Rojas. The locale is small but

comfortable with black lucite tables

and chairs, small framed mirrors

looking down from the ceiling,

chandeliers over the bar area, Andean

tablecloths and travel-inspired

wallpaper decorated with passport

stamps and airplane windows. Musa

changes its menu and decor every

three months and the current travel

motif is the selected theme for its fifth

season, the restaurant as a journey

to other cultures and cuisines, in this

case the cooking of Peru where Escobar

and Rojas recently traveled

bringing back rich personal experiences

that were transmuted into 10

different dishes on top of the regular

menu of an additional 17 choices.

The next leg of the trip will be Spain.

“Musa is a space that allows me to

be free… where I can express what I

feel,” said the soft spoken Escobar, a

graduate of the culinary arts program

at Universidad del Este in Carolina.

Cooking interested him since he was

a small boy playing with his cousin’s

toy kitchen. At 15, he got his first industry

job washing dishes at Picoteo

restaurant in El Convento Hotel in Old

San Juan. Later, he worked for Vin

Santo at the Holiday Inn in Isla Verde

(now the Verdanza Hotel), went on to

Dragon Fly and Parrot Club and then

settled down at Il Molino restaurant

in the Ritz Carlton in Isla Verde for

a nine-year residency as sous chef.

By 2016 he felt ready to launch his

own restaurant, a project that took

one year before it could be turned

into a reality.

For Escobar, who is 33, food is not

only personal expression but a way

to communicate and show “how rich

we are as a culture.” Despite an initial

false start that required refining

the menu and a temporary closing

due to hurricanes Irma and Maria,

Musa has been pretty much a success

from the beginning thanks to its

formula of re-imagined Puerto Rican

classics. Escobar likes to tweak tradition

and surprise the diner without

necessarily shaking the person from

their comfort zone. As he sees it,

people want tasty food, good portions

and a touch of creativity “but

not to the point of confusion.”

In tweaking the classics, Escobar

will take a popular food like say

alcapurrias, a doughy pocket made

from root vegetables, and use a duck

filling instead of the traditional meat.

Or he will take bacalaitos, another beloved

delicacy in Puerto Rico, and use

snapper as his main ingredient rather

than the customary cod. The chef also

likes bringing together unlikely food

combos like a Mac Cheese served

with ropa vieja (shredded meat and

vegetables), one of the restaurant’s

signature dishes, steak dumplings with

bits of sweet plantains and peppers

or, a brunch favorite, French Toast

stuffed with cream cheese and bacon

with fresh berries and a Walnuts

Caramel Sauce.

However idealized his view of cooking

as a means to self expression,

Escobar is also practical about the

restaurant business and thinks that

food can’t be the sole attraction.

“People don’t just go to a restaurant

for the food, they look for, they demand

good cocktails and entertainment,”

he said, pointing out that a

singer performs at the restaurant on


Friday nights and that Sunday brunch

occasionally features a magician. At

Musa, “there is always something

going on.”

And because the island’s economy

is still on shaky grounds, Escobar

is doing his share to give diners a

break. On Tuesday, for example, the

restaurant runs a special $30 lunch

offer for two people.

Natalia Rivera Vazquez’ El Jangiri,

one of the 16 chef driven concepts

at Lote 23, offers a refreshing take

on fast food. “My focus is to offer

food that is fresh, healthy, and accessible

and fast,” said the spirited

34-year-old chef who was recently

hired as executive sous chef at

The Vanderbilt Hotel in Condado

where she had worked a few

years ago, first as Banquet Chef

and later as Chef de Cuisine at

Ola Restaurant.

Rivera said her love of cooking goes

back to her youth. “I always wanted

to be a chef; I was born with that in

my blood.” Still, she flirted with the

idea of being a chemical engineer

and for two years studied at the Polytechnic

University of Puerto Rico until

she faced up to reality. “I told myself:

This is the moment of truth. You have

to go for it.” “For it” was a cooking

career so she enrolled in the culinary

arts program at the Universidad del

Este. Additionally, Rivera trained in

some of New York’s top kitchens at

Le Cirque, Le Bernardin, Cafe Boulud,

Battersby, and Franny’s, a popular

Brooklyn restaurant that closed

last year. Rivera backed this training

with “lots of eating” and plenty of

reading about cooking, restaurants

but also other topics. “You can learn

from everything,” she said. Her work

experience in Puerto Rico includes

stints at El Convento Hotel in old

San Juan and La Concha Hotel in

Condado.

El Jangiri serves up “build-yourown”

bowls of fish and vegetables

and the most popular dish on the

menu is fresh tuna paired with avocado.

The name of the business is

a play on Hangiri, the wooden

bowl Japanese use to cool and

season sushi rice. “It sounded like

Jangueo (Spanglish for hanging

out) and to me it seemed perfect,”

Rivera said. She loves classic

cuisine and thinks that “nothing is

better than a well roasted chicken

or a good cut of meat carefully

cooked.” Her approach to food

is based on simplicity. “I think that

less is always more and that each

product should shine for what it

is,” said the chef who gratefully

acknowledged the mentoring

she received from one of Puerto

Rico’s top kitchen stars, Juan Jose

Cuevas. Cuevas is the executive

chef of 1919, the flagship restaurant

at The Vanderbilt, and is now

her boss. “His food is incredible,”

she said.

Vegetables play a big role at El

Jangiri and Rivera buys as much

locally as she can. “The quality of

something that is grown in our land

is far superior plus you have the satisfaction

of supporting our working

people,” she said. “Things that will

always be local in my kitchen are

eggplant, cucumbers, pineapple,

and ginger. The list is long.”

The mother of a little girl she calls

her inspiration, Rivera looks on her

profession as a vocation. “I think we

all are born with a vocation. There

is nothing in the world I could do

better or with more passion, or that

makes me happier than to be in a

kitchen,” she said.

Carlos Portela’s Orujo Taller de Gastronomia

has no set menu. The restaurant,

named after a type of aguardiente

made in Spain from grapes,

is built around the concept of the

degustation menu, a formula that has

earned the chef rave reviews and

allows him the opportunity to let his

creativity soar.

Natalia Rivera

Vazquez’ El

Jangiri, one of

the 16 chef

driven concepts at

Lote 23, offers a

refreshing take

on fast food.

“Each dish is its own little masterpiece…

It isn’t a meal. It’s an event,

and it’s worth it,” a resident from Seattle,

Washington, raved on Yelp.

com after eating at the restaurant.

51

Located in Caguas, about half an

hour away from San Juan, Orujo is

a showcase of fine dining and a

restaurant that personalizes the experience

of eating out: diners are

invited to visit the kitchen or, ahead

of ordering, are grilled by the chef

as to food allergies, their likes and

dislikes. Orujo always had as its aim

to create a space where the lover

of good food and wine would have

a place in which to enjoy the local

cuisine in the manner of a modern

degustation,” said Portela, who runs

the restaurant with the help of his wife

Armalie Perez.

The tasting menu showcases anywhere

from three (the short version)

to 15 exquisitely plated courses that

one can order with selective wine

pairings. The food is heavily influenced

by the availability of seasonal

products. Portela favors local products

and ingredients among which favorites

are recao (culantro), calabaza

(Puerto Rico’s own pumpkin), name

(yam). What he can’t buy locally, he

imports. Foie grass he orders from

New York or Canada. Meats such as

Iberian ham, pork, rabbit, and lamb

are imported or purchased from local

farms; the same for fish and shellfish,

with local fishermen delivering their

catch straight to the restaurant. Portela

described himself as a spontaneous

chef who likes to cook dishes that

exalt the flavors of Puerto Rico. His

cuisine is infused with the influences

of North America, Europe and the

Caribbean. He’s comfortable with

modern and traditional cooking techniques.

“Our cuisine is very simple,

but it vies for perfection in its method

of preparation, taste and beautiful

presentation,” he said.

When he was a kid, Portela

dreamed of being a musician in a

rock band, or perhaps an astronaut,

but at 16 he got his first job working

in a school cafeteria and he

developed an interest in cooking.

He said that what particularly drew

him to a cooking career was that

it interfaced with so many different

areas like management, nutrition,

science, art, agriculture, and human

relations. After studying in

Puerto Rico, Portela headed to the

Carlos Portela’s Orujo Taller de Gastronomia

has no set menu. The restaurant is built around

the concept of the degustation menu.

U.S. where he graduated from the

prestigious Johnson and Wales Culinary

Institute in Providence, Rhode

Island. In 2007 he joined the team

of Ramiro’s Taller de Cocina in

Valladolid, Spain, where he was

exposed to the craft of master chefs

like Ferran Adria and Andoni Luis.

Subsequently, he worked in the U.S.

and then returned to Puerto Rico to

start his own restaurant. It opened

May 1, 2014.

“At Orujo, creativity is limited only

by the ingredients and available

equipment. We always look for new

ways to present, combine elements

and plate in accordance with the

season,” said the 43 years old chef.

With so many talented chefs around

and so many choices for eating out

one might conclude that this is Puerto

Rico’s culinary golden age. “Puerto

Rican gastronomy is going through

a great moment. There is a movement

of talented men and women

cooks who aim to take the island’s

cuisine to the highest levels and to

world class status,” said Portela. “It’s

a movement that is very united and in

which there is mutual support for the

development of a better industry, one

that is responsible to the environment,

the earth and society.”

“I love what is going on in the island,”

said Rivera. “There is a lot

that is good and all kinds of it. From

food trucks, kiosks, elegant restaurants

and family run ones. There

are so many tremendous places to

visit. You have to go out and try

everything.”


Flavors

around

the

Island

Tostones stuffed with shrimps

Mofongo stuffed with chicken

Mofongo stuffed with churrasco

Grilled chicken breast

A tradition

with

Criollo

Flavor

Alonso Rios, an Aguas Buenas farmer

with 12 kids, prayed fifty years ago

for a way to be able to sustain his

family. From here the idea to establish

a business to provide market services

arose where his entire family could

work.

The business was then called

El Pocito Dulce, and it became

the place to meet in the area. They

served fried pork appetizers, now

known as the house specialty, as well

as the best fried pork with onions in

Puerto Rico.

Vamos pa’ Los Gorditos (Let’s go to

the chubbys) became the colloquial

phrase among the people of the area

based on the personality and physic

of the restaurant owners and with

time, the owners adopted the name

“Los Gorditos”.

That is how this humble family from

Aguas Buenas began their criollo

food business that has transcended

three generations and is currently

managed by the original owner’s

nephews who have kept the tradition

alive.

This mom and pop shop served as

the base for an evolving business that

today has three restaurants located in

Caguas, Bayamon, and its newest

place in Isla Verde.

Lots of loyal customers keep coming

back to savor the restaurant’s traditional

fried pork with onions with a

side dish of mofongo and the variety

of its criollo menu that includes turkey

with onions, boneless fried pork,

grilled churrasco, and stuffed mofongo

among other items all served in

a family ambiance.

ADVERTORIAL

Tasty food

and fun

just steps from

the beach

Lifeguards of the Reef Cafe is a familyrun

local business established in June

2018. We are the product of effort,

support, and guidance of a group of

professionals and government agencies

that collaborated in designing the

menu, space, and concept.

We are situated at a privileged location

in Isla Verde, just steps from one

of the best beaches on the island,

major hotels, and the Isla Verde

Coral Marine Reserve, which is the

reason behind our name.

Our menu consists of homemade

tasty delights like Puerto Rican alcapurrias,

seafood served in coconut or

pineapple, stuffed mofongos, chicken

wings, bacalitas, risotto balls, soft tacos,

grilled meats and fish, fried pork

chunks, tuna tartar, rice and beans,

among other appetizing dishes.

House drinks are served in coconuts

and pineapples and our drinks in

yards, fish bowls, and tooters are a

hit for those who want to take home

a souvenir from their visit.

Lifeguards of the Reef Cafe offers a

family, handicap accessible and pet

friendly, safe environment. There are

plenty of TVs around the restaurant to

watch sporting events and for avid

sun worshipping customers we deliver

right to the beach.

So when in Isla Verde, don’t forget

to visit Lifeguards of the Reef Cafe.

We are here to serve you and your

satisfaction is our priority.

Enjoy amazing food and

the best ambience in Isla Verde

ADVERTORIAL

101 Racquet Club Condominium,

Tartak St. Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

787.936.1325

www.lifeguardsofthereef.com

Open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm

Stop by

and come

SEA for

yourself

Cinco Nudos provides tasty dishes

that capture the flavors of the sea and

traditional Puerto Rican cuisine from

family recipes that have been handed

down thru our grandmothers.

Within our great variety of fresh cuts,

you could have the experience of

capturing one of our live Caribbean

Lobsters and take it to the kitchen were

the execution of your fresh meal will

begin. Or delight your palate with our

“Guanimes con Bacalao” a delicious

inland recipe from our ancestors. It will

blow your taste buds away!

“The Psychiatrist,” an old sailboat

turned into a bar, where you will find

our sea wolves and they’ll SHAKE

their secrets of the sea within your

cocktails that “If they can’t cure you,

at least they’ll make you forget”.

Cinco Nudos is located practically

at the sea and is accessible by boats

that can dock directly next to the

establishment. For the rest of our

visitors, there are parking facilities

available.

Cinco Nudos (“Five Knots” in English)

is the moderate speed at which a

boat enters the port, but for us, it

also means the momentum in life, to

have a seat and enjoy an experience

with us.

ADVERTORIAL

A Princess, between

Flavors

and

Spirits

Puerto Rico is known as the worldwide

Capital of Rum.

For more than 450 years, we have

developed and perfected its quality

to become recognized as the elixir

of the Gods for its consistency in the

quality of aging.

Arriving to the walled city of Old San

Juan, a visit to our place is a must.

Where our gastronomy from the early

19 century, faces the most complete

collection of our distilled brand spirits.

In “Princesa Gastrobar”, People from

around the world, come to live a

unique experience in their visit to

the island.

An intrinsic part of the menu, travels

back in time to the year 1859, when

“El Cocinero Puertorriqueño” (the first

Puerto Rican cuisine recipes’ book) is

discovered.

In a very responsible way with

history, our staff, was given the task

of rescuing some of the recipes and

interpret them. Due to the lack of

information in the book, which only

contained the ingredients, but not

the portions of the recipes. The result

has been an honorable tribute to the

Puerto Rican gastronomy of the early

19th century.

Another achievement, has been the

tremendous rum brand collection

here at Princesa Gastrobar. Where

visitors cannot only taste the rums

produced on the island, but listen

to their history.

The bar offers the alternative to buy

and take home the rum by the bottle.

Our clientele can also buy a hand

made white oak barrel to increase

the aging of your favorite rum. Each

month of aging in these barrels is

equivalent to 1 year of aging. It is a

way to take a piece of our history to

share it on special occasions among

friends and family.

Tasting Puerto Rico’s History

Spirits

Authentic 19 th Century Gastronomy

Enjoy the most complete Spirits

collection. Come to know all the

brands of our rums, its history

and cocktails.

Gastronomy

Taste our authentic 19 th century

Gastronomy. We are the only

restaurant that has integrated in the

menu, recipes from a Puerto Rican

cookbook published in 1859.

Heritage

Feel the magic at a place of

human Heritage. A historical wall

that serves as a backdrop and links

us to places declared world heritage,

will make you feel the magic of

the place.

A unique place surrounded by beautiful trees and plants.

ADVERTORIAL

princesapr.com

Paseo La Princesa Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

+ information: 787.723.7878 | 787.923.8241

Tuesday to Friday at 11:00 a.m.

Saturday & Sunday, Brunch at 10:00 a.m.

Awarded Hotel

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(787)254-2358

Tel.

www.combatebeach.com

Reduces stress, lengthens life and strengthens family ties

Tel. (787)829-1717 www.paradorvillassotomayor.com

Rooms & Suites - Breakfast Restaurant - Children & Adult Pool

Access to Combate Beach & the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge

Wine Cellar - Basketball & Volleyball Courts - Bicycle & Kayak Rental

Tel. (787)851-2158

www.boquemar.com

75 ROOMS

KIDS AND ADULT POOL

LA CASCADA RESTAURANT

ECOTOURISM

GASTRONOMY

NIGHTLIFE

OVER 10 BEACHES NEARBY

Rincon:

Puerto Rico’s

new culinary

sanctuary

Rincon has long been known for its legendary surf breaks and astonishing sunsets,

but this magical west coast town has quietly transformed into the gastronomic darling.

By PETER MARTIN

Located on a knot of land jutting

out from the island’s west

coast, the town springs from

the surrounding sea in an inspired

mash of lush hills, tropical forest,

and verdant valley, ringed by a

palm fringed, white sand shoreline.

Mother Ocean, which gives life to

this town of eternal summer, provides

a different look behind each beach;

it can be elegant in its tranquility,

its gentle current shimmering in the

sunlight like thousands of gems, or

it can turn tempestuous, unleashing

its beauty in towering waves that

thunder ashore with furious wild

whitewash.

Its geography, or more specifically

breathtaking beauty, has brought

a confluence of culinary influences

The Chateau Rose at the stunningly

beautiful Horned Dorset Primavera

has a French-tropical inspired menu.

beyond the local comida croilla cuisine,

that head mix of Caribbean,

African, and U.S. flavors. Restaurant

trends you’ll find in town are similar to

what’s going on in top culinary cities.

This is happening as more and more

vacationers fall in love with Rincon

and decide to call it their home, and

a growing number of chefs come in

their wake to join a growing number

La Ana de Cofresi’s house specialties

include Jumbo Shrimps with capers

sauce.

of island chefs who call this west

coast hamlet their residence. So

regardless of what flavor you are

looking for, Rincon has you covered

with a spot that will deliver.

Rincon has some of the finest hotel

restaurants and steakhouses in all of

Puerto Rico, and fabulous authentic

French, Italian, sushi, and other ethnic

Tamboo Bar & Seaside Grill’s Catch of

the Day with Puertorrican “Mamposteao“

Rice and grilled asparagus.

restaurants, as well as inventive local

and American fare. You’ll also

find gourmet cafe and health food,

world-class pizza, amazing food

truck fare and fabulous food and

artisan markets in the downtown

plaza. Rincon is the envy of no other

coastal town, with top notch seafood

and comida criolla restaurants, and

it has among the most sophisticated

59

wine and local craft beer offerings,

and one of Puerto Rico’s best local

craft brewery.

Rincon’s culinary offerings have

kept pace with its broader tourism

growth in recent years, which entices

visitors with an eclectic mix of

boutique hotels and guest houses

that wow with comfort and friendly,

attentive service. But its dominance

as a purveyor of fine food and spirit

still seems sudden and surprising,

and it comes with the realization

that everywhere you turn; there

is something delicious to be had.

Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent

than the winding narrow

road of the downtown plaza to

the lighthouse and the famed Tres

Palmas and Marias beaches, with

food stands offering everything from

crafted fruit and vegetable juices

to gourmet fruit bowls and coffee

stands to homemade power bars

and healthy burritos.

The charming west coast is one of

the prettiest coastal towns you can

find, and it seduces its visitors in so

many ways – miles of palm-lined

beach, pristine tropical forest, and

dramatic outlooks of breaching

whales and crashing surf. This just

makes getting dazzled by its culinary

offerings all the more delightful

and satisfying.

With such a varied dining scene,

there is no typical Rincon restaurant,

but Cowboys Cantina and Outside

The location at La Ana de Cofresi

is blessed with a serene west coast

location overlooking a fabulous

beach with the best sunset in town.

The 20 oz. Cowboy steak at Cowboys Cantina & Outside Grill is tender as

butter and grilled to perfection, and the churrasco, filet mignon and other

steaks served here are of equal quality.

Grill may best capture the bold spirit

and adventurousness of its culinary

culture. Just minutes from Rincon’s main

thoroughfare, Cowboys nonetheless

seems far away –that “remote beautiful

place approaching perfection.” A

ribbon of road threads a knot of steep

hilltops cutting between ocean and

green pasture vistas and then a steep

side road descends to the restaurant’s

dramatic setting on a 20-acre cattle

ranch, surrounded by tropical flowers

and trees and lush hillsides.

The wood and tin-roof establishment

is the epitome of cowboy chic, with

the friendliness and enthusiasm of the

staff matching the crispness of their

typical western attire. The charming

owners are often on hand to greet

diners, which only underlines the

heritage of hospitality and family tradition

that permeates this restaurant.

A large bar running along its back

wall has a huge television that

broadcasts the sporting event of the

moment or music or sporting events

involving horses. Right off the airy

main dining room and surrounding

terraces is an adjacent field that

holds seasonal rodeo events and

Sunday horse rides but is always

a great place for kids to play during

meals. This might be one of the

best places in Puerto Rico to dine on

a weekend afternoon, equally appealing

to sports fans and families,

but the illuminated grill house has a

distinct beauty at night, as does the

journey “up the road and down the

hill” to get here.

The food is all about the open pit

barbecue, and how that smoky

flavor infuses the delicious grilled

steaks, chicken, ribs and tuna that

are the mainstays here. The 20 oz.

Cowboy steak (bone-in rib-eye)

is tender as butter and grilled to

perfection, and the churrasco, filet

mignon and other steaks served

here are of equal quality. There are

typical Puerto Rican and American

appetizers, from burger sliders to

fried island cheese cubes, and

delicious sides including mixed

rice and beans with cilantro and

sweet plantains, grilled sweet potato

topped with cinnamon, and grilled

corn on the cob and a different daily

grilled vegetable. The desserts are

also well-executed takes on classics

like key lime pie and amaretto

cheese cake, and a hot chocolate

chip cookie that – like the rest of the

Cowboy’s dining adventure – will

bring out the kid in you.

If you can’t get up to the highlands,

Rincon has lots of other options for

steak lovers, including Parrilleria Vacas

Gauchas, an Argentinean-style

steakhouse right down the hill that

fans insist is the best of the bunch

because of the consistency and

quality of the food and the service.

It has a cozy, minimalist interior, with

super cool paintings of friendly faced

cows. Outstanding rib-eye, skirt steak

and other cuts, and delicious pork

tenderloin and tuna options prevail.

Here too the offering is about excellent

renditions of genre classics but

there are also unique menu surprises.

Everything from the grilled potatoes to

the codfish buñuelas in cherry tomato

escabeche to the house sangria is

fabulous, and the service matches the

excellence pouring out of the kitchen.

The wine list is short but provocative,

and there are satisfying options for a

broad variety of tastes.

Among the best steaks in town

can be found at La Ana de Cofresi


COME VISIT US!

WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU!

The Tamboo Seaside Grill spills out of the back deck of the charming Beside

the Pointe Guesthouse overlooking Sandy Beach.

restaurant, a family run restaurant at

the Hotel Cofresi that has been delivering

wonderful steaks, seafood

and Puerto Rico’s traditional cocina

criolla since 1965. This place is all

about the classics and consistency,

which is why it has been able to

retain loyal clients over decades and

win new fans all the time. La Ana

has been serving the finest quality

steaks in town for decades, and

the veteran kitchen hands doing the

preparation add to the flavor. It also

offers a wide variety of fresh fish and

other seafood, and local classics like

stuffed mofongo and asopao, and

house specialties include fresh fish

served in plantain crust with cilantro

cream sauce.

La Ana is as well known for its fresh

fish as it is for the quality of its steaks.

The restaurant is named after the

mother ship of famed Puerto Rican

pirate, Roberto Cofresi, known for his

generosity toward the poor, distributing

his loot among them. Check out

the 1979 mural of Cofresi’s history

by a local Puerto Rican artist inside

the restaurant. Both the restaurant

and hotel are family run and have

among the friendliest staff not just in

town but in all Puerto Rico. The location

is also blessed with a serene

west coast location overlooking a

fabulous beach with the best sunset

in town. La Ana is an air conditioned

room right off the property’s glorious

back deck. Have a cocktail on the

back beach bar during the glorious

sunset before dinner.

Like La Ana, several of Rincon’s finest

restaurants are waterfront. The Chateau

Rose, ensconced at the stunningly

beautiful Horned Dorset Primavera,

is one of the prettiest dining rooms in

the entire Caribbean, and the Frenchtropical

inspired menu is always up to

snuff. It’s the perfect spot for a serene

lunch or heavenly dinner in enchant-

C

ing surroundings. The property is

erected on century-old breakwaters

M

and seawalls and features seafront

Y

terraces, Spanish-Moroccan inspired

CM

villas, and a grand hacienda that

houses the restaurant, which MYoffers

diners views of the sublime sea and

CY

shimmering pool.

CMY

The restaurant has a variety

K

of

changing fixed price menu options,

which offer diners such delights as

escargots vol au vent with pancetta

and Pernod cream, pan seared

tuna with basil-potato puree and an

eggplant Portobello ragout or duck

breast with foie gras and raspberry.

The deserts -- from sorbets to soufflés

-- are also divine.

The Tamboo Seaside Grill is famous

for being one of the best

beach bars in the Caribbean and

all of America, but it is also one of

the best places anywhere that you

can dine with your feet in the sand.

The restaurant spills out of the back

deck of the charming Beside the

Pointe Guesthouse overlooking the

fat, white Sandy Beach, which is

replete with swaying palm trees, surfers,

and other beach lovers at play.

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There’s always something going on

at the deck bar, with island rhythms

pouring out over the sound system

or provided by the talented musicians

who perform live on weekend

nights. Grab an outside terrace

table, where the ocean breeze and

rhythm of the pulsating surf rule for

a more romantic meal.

The Tamboo made a name for its self

with its succulent guava ribs, grilled

fresh Caribbean lobster and catch

of the day and pub fare. But the

menu is always evolving, delivery

heath food like sautéed vegetable

towers, crafted veggie burgers, and

quinoa salad bowls, as well as more

sophisticated fare like corn crusted

avocado grouper fillet, mustard and

chive pork loin, and peach mint curry

salmon fillet. This is a fun spot, but the

flavors are as infectious as the tropical

rhythm and laughter of happy

patrons, which flow as consistently as

the pulsating waves outside.

Que Viva Trattoria! is a delightful

new “tropical trattoria” at one of

Rincon’s best known lodging spots,

The Lazy Parrot Inn. Enjoy delicious

wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, pastas,

and salads at the amazingly laid

back poolside location, with a vista

of the green hills of this west coast

town. The place is run by couple Eloy

and Melissa, whose passion for their

project shines through in the superlative

flavors and first rate service.

Ingredients are fresh, locally sourced,

and prepared to perfection, whether

it’s the roasted pepper pizza topping

Que Viva Trattoria! is a delightful new “tropical trattoria” at one of Rincon’s

best known lodging spots, The Lazy Parrot Inn.

or a craft cocktail. Eloy’s carefully nurtured

mother dough gives the pizza

crust a distinct pop and deep mellow

flavor, and they are perfectly grilled

in an Italian pizza oven that is also

a piece of art. Que Viva Tratorria!

waitresses and bartenders also delivered

first rate and enthusiastic service.

The restaurant team also makes their

own local hot sauce and has created

a unique spice of salt and dried local

pepper flakes that compliment a

salad or a pizza. Both the restaurant

and Lazy Parrot Inn are commitment

to an eco-friendly experience, evident

in sustainable practices like solar energy,

salted water pool, a farm to

table experience to guests.

If you had to pick a Cheer’s of

Rincon, you know that place where

everybody knows your name; it

would likely be the Shipwreck Tavern,

located at the Black Rock Marina.

“Rincon’s favorite eatery” invites

patrons to “dine with the mermaids

and drink with the hearty seafaring

captains.” This fun spot with a quality

pub menu is super friendly and a

great place to find out what’s going

on. There are excellent guava chicken

wings, mussels, calamari, and octopus

appetizers. The Shipwreck also

offers fat delicious burgers, heroes,

pasta and salads, as well as complete

steak and seafood entrees. It

has some awesome local choices

and daily changing specials. It’s a

favorite spot on the return from a diving

trip or a day catching waves.

La Cambija is a simple, open air

restaurant by the public beach that

serves up delicious seafood and cold

drinks during lunch and dinner. Experience

the glories of local coastal

cooking, with fresh mahi mahi or tuna

tacos, shark kebobs, grilled grouper,

Caribbean ceviche or seafood paella.

The unpretentious, friendly place

is also known for its margaritas, mojitos

and ice-cold beers. The house hot

sauce packs flavor and has a nice

kick, and it’s THE SPOT in town for

fried fish turnovers called empanadillas.

The spot is only open weekends,

Friday through Sunday.

Sushi fans, don’t worry, Rincon will

not disappoint you! In fact, Pool Bar

Sushi has become an iconic Rincon

experience. The splashy tropical spot

has full bar and outdoor tables on a

deck surrounding the pool. Surfer chic

stylings include showing surfer flicks

on a giant screen and an ability to

make flavorful tropical drinks. Pool Bar

Sushi has glorious handcrafted, unique

sushi and tempura roll creations that

are artfully arrange on spiffy platters.

There’s the simplistic mango tuna roll,

the sublime cinco (snapper cucumber

and avocado) the amazing boca

(salmon, scallion cream cheese and

coconut wasabi) and a crispy delicious

vegetable tempura roll. Pool Bar

Sushi also has a short but tasty dim

sum menu. The sesame seared catch

of the day in a wasabi buerre blanc

is almost always right on and you

can’t go wrong with the ginger pork

potstickers. This weekend (Friday night

through Sunday night) only restaurant

is the perfect place to enjoy a rum

punch or other Caribbean cocktail

classic.

Perhaps, nothing says a place has

arrived as a culinary destination than

hosting a permanent food event,

and Rincon’s weekly Farmer Market

in its downtown plaza every Sunday

morning through afternoon is one

of the best in the land of Puerto

Rico. There are stands dedicated

organic honey and yogurt, Puerto

Rican coffee, fresh juices and fruit

smoothies, organ vegan cakes and

other scrumptious baked goods and

array of farm to table glories. You

can find guava plum tars, banana

cheesecake, fresh tomato bruschetta

and avocado salad with foccacia

bread, miso noodle, and basamati

rice bowls and gluten free crepes

with fresh vegetables and herbs in a

dazzling pumpkin sauce. Artists and

artisans also participate, hawking

wood cut prints, handmade jewelry

and other crafts. Another festival,

Rincon’s Art Walk, is Thursday night

street festival for artists and artisans

that also offers plenty of food and

culinary attractions.

The thriving Sunday and Thursday

festivities on the plaza underline

the transformation of Rincon from

an area of dated retail shops to a

thriving culinary center, with charming

cafes, upscale pubs and cutting

edge eateries.

One of the most popular downtown

foodie stops is Cafe 413, which is

always crowded, and with good

reason. Equal parts coffee shop,

health food restaurant and sports

bar, the spot has something for everyone

and is worth a stop any time

of the day. There’s amazing coffee,

artisan beer, fresh fruit smoothies,

salad and vegan specials and

spectacular international tapas and

Downtown Rincon features Tinto Wine Shop, the area’s best wine boutique, with a strong

collection of wine, gift baskets and other items.

entrees, and delicious American classics

burgers. Surfing competitions and

shown on big screen televisions,

and live musical performances take

place on weekends. There are also

art shows and other performances.

If you get thirsty downtown, make

sure to stop into the Rincon Beer

Company, which has the biggest

selection of craft, tap beer in Western

Puerto Rico. It has a broad selection

of island craft beer, including

productions from Old Harbor, Del

Oeste and Cerveceria India breweries,

as well as the tasty Boqueron

Farm House and Oscar Blue Beerito

brews. It also carries Bell’s and other

craft beer produced in the U.S. and

Europe, and will soon re-launch its

own in-house craft brews that were

knocked off-tap by last year’s Hurricane

Maria. The company also

features house infused liquors and

craft cocktails, as well as a board

of scrumptious munchies to help the

ease the liquid down. Teetotalers

should not despair because the

company has wonderful home-made

ginger beer, rosemary lemonade,

fresh squeezed juices and other nonalcoholic

beverages. There’s live music

on Thursday nights, to coincide

with Art Walk, and other live events

including open mic performances.

Downtown Rincon also features Tinto

Wine Shop, the area’s best wine

boutique, with a strong collection of

wine, gift baskets and other items for

the wine lover. There are competitive

prices on a wide variety of wines,

and the staff is as friendly as they are

knowledgeable. Be on the lookout

for the periodic wine tastings and

pop-up dinners that take place here

and includes some of the best of the

town’s culinary talents.

Mangia Mi is a fun fabulous place

on Rincon’s central plaza that serves

fresh, expertly prepared Italian food in

a modern, welcoming bistro environment.

The staff is super-friendly and

knowledgeable about the food and

wine offerings, and you can watch the

group of chefs employ in the throes

of their passion as they make pasta

from scratch and carefully cut and dice

your salad ingredients from within the

kitchen adjacent to the bar. With a

name that translates to “Eat Me” and

employing the moniker “a place to

get sauced,” Mangia Mi does not

take itself too seriously, but don’t let

that fool you about the quality of the

cuisine; it’s outstanding. Operating under

its trilogy of “pasta-wine-love,” the

restaurant has an ever changing “chalk

board” changing menu loaded with

antipasto, pasta, pizza and baked

Italian entrees. The herbs and vegetables

are fresh and locally sourced

and it prides itself on fresh prime fish,

seafood and cuts of beef. We loved

everything from the home-made sausage

and roasted the stuffed dates,

eggplant parmigiana and fresh fish. In

the early evening, there are amazing

happy hour wine and bar food specializes

that make a great tasty deal,

and perhaps is the only reason in the

world not to be watching the sunset.

Chef Rebecca White, one of the two

co-owners, was a winner on the Food

Network’s Cooks vs. Cons and her

food still cries victory every night.

“An Intimate

Beachfront

Escapade”

Rincon Beach Resort, Porta del Sol, Puerto Rico

787-589-9000 www.rinconbeach.com

reservations@rinconbeach.com

Ad Revista Bienvenidos 2018.ai 1 6/6/2018 2:55:27 PM

Island

Highlights

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No better place

for a memorable

girl’s getaway

By AMY GORDON

With warm tropical temperatures, an infectiously

joyful culture and awe-inspiring

scenery, Puerto Rico brims with adventures

that add up to a fun-filled girls ‘weekend

and great place to celebrate the bride-to-be’s last stretch

of singlehood. The U.S. territory effortlessly blends Caribbean

vibes and cosmopolitan appeal, and visitors flying

in from an U.S. mainland airport don’t even need to bring

a passport.

“Puerto Rico is a hot place right now for any type of party,”

says Chezelle Rodriguez, destination wedding specialist

at CD Weddings. More than 130 hotels and thousands

of rentable homes make it easy for brides-to-be and their

Photo: Puerto Rico is a great place to celebrate a bride-to-be’s last stretch of singlehood, especially while at Serafina Hotel.

Lupulo, and El Quinque Bar is always

packed with fun-seeking locals with

whom to mix and mingle and simply

have a great time.

If you have rum on your mind, then visiting The Mezzanine in Old San Juan as part of the Flavors of San Juan tour should be a

spot to hit on your bachelorette weekend.

guests to plan a Puerto Rican itinerary

to fit any style or budget. But

convenience is only the start of the

appeal.

Puerto Rico also brims with unique

authenticity. “People are looking for

cultural experiences, things that they

cannot find on other Caribbean islands,”

says Liliana Albizu, destination

wedding planner and founder of

Handcrafted Weds & Events.

For a can’t-miss Puerto Rican outing,

Albizu often arranges chinchorreo

(barhopping) tours for her guests.

This tradition takes place in towns

throughout the island every weekend,

bringing friends and family together

to spend the day eating, drinking,

dancing, and playing games at

roadside restaurants and bars. The

festivities naturally appeal to partygoers

celebrating an upcoming marriage,

and by booking with a private

Forget Vegas, New York City and Miami!

There’s no better destination for

unforgettable bachelorette parties

than the Island of Enchantment.

company, groups can focus on having

a great time while the experts plan

the itinerary and handle the driving.

The Flavors of San Juan food tour of

Old San Juan is also an amazing alternative

in making your friends foodie

insiders while having a fun-filled day.

The group can begin sipping on tasty

rum cocktail concoctions while strolling

the cobblestone streets of the

colonial city and making pit stops to

savor Puerto Rico’s “must eat” cuisine.

If you have rum on your mind and want

to drink it up like Capitan Jack Sparrow

of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean,

then visiting Casa Bacardi in Cataño

should be a spot to hit on your bachelorette

weekend. Imagine all the fun

involved in sensorial rum tasting and

mixology classes and taking home

your own bottle after filling it up yourself

directly from the barrel.

After a day of delicious merriment, hitting

up the San Juan nightlife scene is

the ideal choice. “On other islands,

you don’t always feel safe outside of

the hotel. Puerto Rico is a safe island,”

Albizu says. Calle San Sebastian in

Old San Juan is a great place to start.

This lively stretch of popular neighborhood

bars like La Factoria, La Taverna

Over at La Concha, A Renaissance

Resort on Condado’s ritzy Ashford Avenue,

ladies who want to party into

the wee hours of the morning head

to Club Fifty Eight. New to the scene

in December 2018, the high-energy

nightclub has already become one

of the most popular in the city. Dance

music pumps through the speakers until

4 a.m., craft libations flow freely, and

the chic crowd is always dressed to

impress.

At El San Juan Hotel – where if its

walls could talk they’d share stories

of 1960s Hollywood headliners

crooning in the nightclub scene - is

Brava. Recently redesigned, this sophisticated

nightclub that offers VIP

bottle and table service entertains

in an atmosphere alive with energy,

excitement, and late night dancing

that rivals the best clubs in the world.

One of the best parts of a weekend

destination bachelorette party

in Puerto Rico is getting to enjoy the

island in different ways, from rowdy

to refine. “Of course clubbing is going

to be one of the nights,” says Rodriguez.

“But on other nights, groups

want to go to a nice restaurant for a

different type of experience.”

Friends who get a thrill from a truly

sumptuous meal can reserve a table

at one of San Juan’s five-star, chefdriven

restaurants for impeccable

food and elegant atmosphere.

Helmed by Iowa native Chef Peter


The thrill-seeking group can soar 1,200 feet high through the lush mountains at

Toro Verde Adventure Park in Orocovis.

TOURS

COCKTAILS

TASTINGS

Schintler, Marmalade Restaurant

and Wine Bar is renowned for its

high-concept, meticulously executed

tasting menus. Chef Mario Pagan’s

inventive creations attract the city’s

elite foodies with intricate dishes

and unexpected presentation at his

eponymous Condado eatery. And

at Santaella, the creativity coming

out of the kitchen is rivaled only

by the haute-couture fashion of the

clientele in the dining room, just to

name a few.

Another must stop location to have

a good time and good food is the

vibrant gastronomic oasis called Lote

23 in Santurce. This trendy place

features food kiosks from up and

coming Puerto Rican chefs and airstream

trailers in an outdoor lot that

has been transformed into a colorful

food and entertainment space that

includes four terraces, a stage and

its own parking area.

In between nights on the town, bachelorette

partygoers have plenty to

explore during the day.

Spas and bachelorette parties go

together like love and marriage, and

in Puerto Rico, world-class pampering

awaits. For day packages Zen

Spa, which operates three outposts

in the San Juan metro area, offers

a special Bachelorette Spa Party.

Groups of girlfriends can toast with

champagne and munch on strawberries

as they’re treated to massages,

facials, manicures and pedicures.

Ladies bond over once-in-a-lifetime

spa experiences at Spa Botanico

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67

at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton

Reserve. Relaxation envelops guests

from the moment they’re greeted in

the apothecary of this luxurious tropical

oasis situated on the edge of a

pineapple grove. The healing continues

with treatments that incorporate

local ingredients like coffee, lime and

coconut, and guests can even request

massages in a tree house, where the

jungle’s organic soundscape lulls them

into pure heavenly bliss.

Or they can indulge in luxurious relaxation

on the beach or in a private

villa for a treatment Remede Spa at

lavish St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort

in Rio Grande. With its stunning

views of the Caribbean Sea, the

group can enjoy invigorating massages,

body wraps, scrubs or mani

and pedis at this luxurious retreat.

If you have a sporty group of girls

than visit Coco Beach Golf Resort

in Rio Grande to play a competitive

round of golf on a course designed

by PGA Tour Pro Tom Kite and possibly

lower your handicap.

How about riding one of the longest

and tallest zip line in the world by

Guinness Book of World Records at

Toro Verde Adventure Park in Orocovis?

The thrill-seeking group can

soar 1,200 feet high through the

lush mountains on The Monster at

speeds of up to 95 miles per hour.

Of course, what visit to the Caribbean

is complete without donning

a swimsuit and shades on a lounge

chair? “A lot of people – specifically

millennials– are utilizing the beach

and pool atmosphere. They see

When it comes to coveted beaches, Puerto Rico has numerous options that offer

distinctly off-the-beaten-path appeal.

pictures on social media and use

them as a springboard of what

they want to do in Puerto Rico,”

says Rodriguez.

Four photo-ready swimming pools

at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel

present Instagram-worthy locales

that will leave any follower jealous.

Stylish sunbathers catch some

rays – and look fabulous in the

latest in resort wear while doing

so. Ladies can sprawl out under

beach umbrellas or reserve a private

chic cabana, complete with

bottle service and VIP treatment.

Or pay a visit to Vivo Beach Club

in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico’s most

exciting beachfront entertainment

complex that offers an outdoor

beach club, unique restaurants

and bars, music venues, and

a one-of-a-kind full-scale craft

brewery.

When it comes to coveted beaches,

Rodriguez points out that two

of the most popular inquiries she

gets from bachelorette groups

are about Vieques and Culebra.

Often referred to as the Spanish

Virgin Islands, Vieques and Culebra

are easily accessible from

Puerto Rico’s main island by plane

or ferry, yet they offer distinctly

off-the-beaten-path appeal.

On Vieques, travelers can ride horses

through the foamy surf and play

in magnetic black sand on Playa

Negra, glide along the surface of

the sea on a paddleboard at Playa

Media Luna or snorkel with manta

rays and angel fish around a coral

reef at Playa La Chiva. When the

sun goes down, the island becomes

even more magical; Vieques is

home to Mosquito Bay, the brightest

bioluminescent bay in the world,

with water that glows in the dark in

response to movement.

Bachelorettes will be hard-pressed

to find a more naturally stunning

landscape than Playa Flamenco

on Culebra, considered the second

most beautiful beach in the world

by Discovery Channel. This half-mile

stretch of soft, white sand and crystal-clear

turquoise water makes it a

surefire bet to be a highly shareable

snapshot. Groups can also charter

a catamaran and spend the day

nearby on Culebrita swimming with

sea turtles and relishing in tranquility.

No matter what brides-to-be and

their guests do while they’re here,

Puerto Rico is a treasure trove of excitement

and serenity, day trips, and

nightlife, urban hubs and rustic getaways.

The possibilities for lifelong

pre-matrimony memories are endless

on this Caribbean paradise.

69

I’LL TAKE IT

Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce

Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce Calce

The Outlet 66 Mall in Canovanas features Puerto Rico’s as well as the Caribbean’s first K1 Speed facility, indoor, electric go-karts, single track.

Adrenaline

junkie overload

at The Outlet 66 Mall

By BIENVENIDOS STAFF


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Feel the need, the need for speed!

Then the Sector Sixty6 entertainment

complex at The Outlet 66

Mall in Canovanas is the perfect

place to channel your inner child.

minutes. Face it; go karts are fun! You’ll

speed around the track and experience

the adrenaline rush that is Indy-style racing.

Afterwards you’ll peel off your helmet,

high fives abound.

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POOL PASS INCLUDED

The newly refurbished mall, just 15 minutes

from San Juan’s International Airport and

a little over 20 minutes from El Yunque

Rainforest, features Puerto Rico’s as well

as the Caribbean’s first K1 Speed facility,

an indoor, electric go-karts, single track

where adult racers can put the pedal to

the metal and reach speeds of up to 45

miles per hour – the fastest in the industry.

You may not be racecar drivers Mario

Andretti or Dale Earnhardt Jr. but the experience

of zooming around a serpentine

track under neon lights is exhilarating. Each

race is 14 laps and lasts about 10-12

Visitors to K1 Speed at The Outlet 66

Mall are treated to a state-of-the-art venue

complete with a museum-worthy collection

of authentic racing memorabilia, and plush

leather sofas. The track is professionally

designed for maximum overtaking opportunities

and features PROTEX barriers to

maintain safety.

It also has the latest junior electric karts to

allow kids 4ft (48”) or taller to get a kick out

of go-karting at speeds of around 20 miles

per hour. There are no mixed junior and

adult races allowed. The electric karts are

superior to their gas-powered counterparts

71

787-722-7000 EXT. 6268

*SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Fun Box is an indoor rope course right in the middle

of the mall corridor.

Visitors can make their way through different obstacles, and enjoy the thrill of zip lining while shoppers watch.

“We are raising the

bar for all retail and

entertainment in

Puerto Rico and the

Caribbean.”

Justin Tirri

Visitors can make their way through different obstacles, and enjoy the thrill of zip lining while shoppers watch.

in nearly every way: they are quieter, produce

zero noxious fumes, and provide instant power

without lag.

When not racing, there’s plenty to do at this mall

– making it a perfect attraction for Millennials

and Gen Zers. The Outlet 66 Mall has gotten a

newer, fresher look – a trend occurring in most

U.S. mainland shopping centers. Aside from removing

the Old San Juan facades for more modern

store fronts, the mall has gotten new floors, new

entrances, and new retail tenants. Visitors can

still enjoy shopping until they drop in stores like

Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Burlington, Nautica,

Journeys, Trollbeads, among many others. When

hunger strikes, this mall has its visitors covered with

venues like Karma’s Wine Bar and Beer Garden,

Pizza@Canovanas, Meson Sandwiches,

Red Mango, Subway, Papa John’s and KFC, and

soon its newest tenant Golden Corral – the only

one in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

The Outlet 66 Mall also incorporated to its retail

entertainment CXC racing simulators, Fun Box

ropes course, arcade games, bumper cars, bowling,

and drag racing.

“Family entertainment centers are evolving to keep

pace with the changing consumer demand,” Justin

Tirri, owner of The Outlet 66 Mall, said about the

reason why the major refurbishment at this property.

“We are raising the bar for all retail and entertainment

in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean - making

The Outlet 66 Mall one of the best tourist spots

where family entertainment never ends.”

At The Outlet 66 Mall, its 10, CXC racing simulators

create a realistic racecar driving experience

with real-time mode, leading-edge visual, expanding

line-up of famed racecars and courses,


Bowling at Sector Sixty6 is the most modern and futuristic glow in the dark bowling alley.

The Outlet 66 Mall has gotten a newer, fresher look and new retail tenants.

as well as audio and motion control systems.

Drivers are able to feel what it’s like to drive a

robotic car flying uphill.

Fun Box is an indoor rope course right in the

middle of the mall corridor where visitors can

go up in the air, make their way through different

obstacles, and enjoy the thrill of zip

lining while shoppers watch– total fun like

no other.

Who said arcades is a thing of the past,

especially when the Arcade Mania at The Outlet

66 Mall not only has the latest state-of-the-art

virtual reality video games like a Sega XD theater

and Virtual Rabbids as well as bumper cars to

chase each other around that would make any

possible contender green with envy.

And you can’t forget to mention - Bowling at

Sector Sixty6 , the most modern and futuristic

glow in the dark bowling alley with its large

screens and LED lights that makes hanging out

as a family extremely fun again.

If that wasn’t all, Sector Sixty6 also features an

indoor dragster strip, which overlooks the lush

mountains of El Yunque Rainforest, for edge-ofyour-seat

excitement.

No matter the reason to visit Sector Sixty6 entertainment

complex at The Outlet 66 Mall, its

staff can offer visitors reserved times so they won’t

have to wait, private racing for corporate events,

teambuilding groups, private parties as well as a

professional-style racing format that is exclusive

to its group event packages.

73

Find that unique

travel memento

IN OLD SAN JUAN

By AMY GORDON

Striking architecture, brilliantly

colored buildings, aweinspiring

Caribbean vistas,

and a vibrant culture best

describes Old San Juan, the oldest city

in the U.S. and its territories. And when

it comes to retail, its centuries-old blue

cobblestone streets are lined with an

enticing array of unique stores that can

only be found in this enchantingly historic

neighborhood.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift

for a loved one or a colorful memento

from an unforgettable trip, you’ll find it all

in the Old City.

Puerto Rico’s intrinsic beauty has inspired

artists for centuries, and many shops

throughout Old San Juan, most on our

list found on Fortaleza Street, highlight

the work of local artisans. Stepping into

Puerto Rican Arts and Crafts art gallery

is like being engulfed in the imaginations

of some of the island’s most creative

residents. Operating out of a restored

Spanish colonial home for more than


FREE

pair of

with any $35 purchase purchase

Puerto Rico’s intrinsic beauty has inspired artists for centuries, and many shops

throughout Old San Juan.

40 years, the shelves here feature

treasures like Roberto Maldonado’s

hand-carved wooden Pica horses,

colorful carnival masks by Ponce’s

Miguel Caraballo and coconut crafts

from Francisco “Panchi” Tirado.

A short stroll away on Fortaleza

Street is sister shop Mi Pequeño San

Juan which sells hand-painted miniature

replicas of San Juan’s colorful

buildings and distinct doors, which

can be personalized with names

and addresses for a truly one-of-akind

souvenir.

By turning self-replenishing bamboo

fields into crazy-soft bamboo fabrics,

Cariloha offers an exclusive collection

of bedding, apparel, active

wear, bath goods, and accessories

made from soft, cool, clean and

green bamboo. Cariloha San Juan

is located in 258 Fortaleza Street.

Fans of Latin tunes flock to Fundacion

Nacional para la Cultura Popular, a

center that honors the contributions of

Puerto Ricans made to music, dance,

television, theater, and film. This nonprofit

also found on Fortaleza Street

serves many functions – it’s a museum,

performance space, dance

and music school, and an archive.

The 300 year old building also includes

a retail arm that sells music on

CDs, vintage vinyl (LPs), and DVDs

by celebrated local artists in every

genre, from Jose Alfredo Mendez,

Luryanne Villegas, and Glenn Monroig

among others. Signed posters

of El Gran Combo, Tito Puente, and

Willie Colon embellish the wall.

If you are a cigar aficionado then

a visit to the Cigar House on Fortaleza

Street is a must-do. This shop

is the biggest cigar emporium on

the island. Enjoy a fine cigar joined

Fans of Latin tunes flock to Fundacion Nacional para la Cultura Popular, a center that

honors the contributions of Puerto Ricans made to music, dance, television, theater, and film.

cariloha

258 fortaleza st

san juan, pr 00901

787.723.4743

75

directly from its own mines. The dutyfree

store, which began its business

in the Caribbean over thirty years

ago, is particularly popular for its

patented Crown of Light cut, where

a startling 90 facets create a brilliant

sparkle that will make any jewelry

fan swoon.

Celebrate a successful day of shopping with a drink or an island-flavored gourmet meal at the charming La Casita de Rones on

Darsenas Street.

by a whiskey or aged rum in airconditioned

comfort. If you want

something to eat, the owners don’t

mind you ordering food from an outside

venue and eating at the cigar

bar. The Cigar House has more

than 300 brands from around the

world and is kept in a large walkin

humidifier including fine quality

Dominican cigars and a variety of

brands using Puerto Rican leaf. The

Spanish owners live upstairs and if

downstairs at the shop, take the opportunity

to converse with them since

they are extremely knowledgeable

about the products. Imagine, they

are also close friends with Arturo

Fuentes, owner of one of the best

rated cigar brand in the world, who

recently visited the shop.

The home of Coqui el Original, an

endearing line of charm bracelets,

cufflinks, and accessories inspired

by Puerto Rico’s resident resonant

coqui frogs, N. Barquet Joyero on

Fortaleza Steet also features collections

from Spain’s Carrera y Carrera,

Italy’s Garavelli Gioeielli, and other

world-renowned designers.

Pandora, a Danish designed brand

world known for its hand-finished,

contemporary pieces like charms,

rings, earrings, necklaces and fashionable

bracelets; sells items made

with ethically sourced gold, sterling

silver and rose metals. Its bracelets’

modular design allows customers to

change the beads to dress them up

for an elegant look or for a more

casual wear at a moment’s notice.

For gifts that impress without breaking

the bank, Blue Diamond on Fortaleza

Street stocks duty-free jewelry at three

locations, including an outlet store for

even deeper discounts. Customers can

enjoy a refreshment while gazing in

awe at the most luxurious selection

of diamonds, jewelry, and watches.

Diamonds International also keeps its

prices reasonable by cutting out the

middle man and sourcing its gems

To dazzle and delight, purchase a

timeless treasure that recalls the glittering,

sun-kissed seas of San Juan’s

harbor. For twenty years, travelers

with a keen eye for exquisite watches

and jewelry have been returning to

Club Jibarito on Calle del Cristo,

the island’s exclusive retailer for an

array of elite brands like Vacheron

Constantin. The beauty of its products,

the magic of the place, and

the friendliness of the staff creates

a memorable shopping experience.

An entirely distinctive style of Puerto

Rican wares is available at The Poet’s

Passage art gallery on Calle Cruz.

The multi-use venue engages customers

with eye-catching pieces from

local artists, including inspirational

posters by owner Lady Lee Andrews

and depictions of Old San Juan by

her husband, French painter Nicholas

Tomassin. Exuding a warm and welcoming

atmosphere, the space also

hosts poetry readings, movie nights,

and other community-building events.

Every epic shopping excursion

Visitors can buy at

the quaint souvenir

and jewelry shops

on Fortaleza Street

gifts that impress

without breaking

the bank.


includes a chance to rest your legs

and fuel up, and Old San Juan offers

no shortage of delectable spots to

grab a mouthwatering bite. To cool

off and satisfy your sweet tooth, visit

Chocolato on San Francisco Street

for a scoop of creamy Italian gelato,

and put a big smile on your face

or swing by ice cream shop Señor

Paleta on Tetuan Street, where the

freezer is stocked with homemade

artisan gelato and sorbet popsicles

in deliciously creative flavors like guanabana

(soursop), strawberry mojito

and chocolate brownie, among many

others.

To add some Puerto Rican spice to

your own cooking, stop into Spicy

Caribbee on Cristo Steet. A can’t-miss

store for culinarians, the shelves here

overflow with inventive bottled concoctions

inspired by the Caribbean

like banana ketchup, mango-pineapple

jam, and spicy guava salsa, just to

name a few.

Feeling the heat? Shade yourself

from the San Juan sun with a trip to

El Galpon. A staple in the city for

22 years, this intimate outpost on

Calle de Cristo features authentic

handmade Panama hats sold by

Gustavo Lerner and Betsy Garcia

from a specific variety of palm

tree called toquilla that grows in

Ecuador. The shop’s classic statement

pieces are internationally

lauded and have been featured on

the runways of New York Fashion

Week, loved by editors, celebrities

and influencers across the globe.

Complement your purchase with a

guayabera shirt from La Casa de las

Guayaberas on Tanca Street. Distinguished

by their four pockets, vertical

pleats and side slits, these traditional

Cuban garments are designed for

keeping cool in the Caribbean heat.

There’s no better place to find handmade

tote bags than Concalma on

San Francisco Street. The inviting

To cool off and satisfy your sweet tooth, visit Chocolato on San Francisco Street for

a scoop of creamy Italian gelato, put a big smile on your face.

brick and mortar store sells 23

different shapes and styles in eyecatching

fabrics designed by founder

Matilsha Marxuach, all of which

are manufactured at an industrial

women’s coop in Utuado in central

Puerto Rico. For a more varied selection

of goods you can feel good

about, Eclectika on O’Donnell Street

showcases Fair Trade-certified products

from all over the world. Across

the street, the tables that line the perimeter

of Plaza De Colon offer the

chance to interact directly with the

artisans that create souvenirs ranging

from ornate jewelry to blown-glass

trinkets.

When evening nears and stores ring

up their final sales, celebrate a successful

day of shopping with a drink

or an island-flavored gourmet meal

at the charming La Casita de Rones

on Darsenas Street. Sip authentic

Puerto Rican rum at one of its two

bars as you immerse yourself in the

sweeping, scenic views of the harbor.

Like what you’re tasting? Make

your final purchase of the day a

bottle or two to bring home.

P l a z a L a s A m é r i c a s

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Designer Monica Bernardy’s goal is

to produce accessories to educate

her students.

The

Heart

and Sole

of Puerto Rico

By AMY GORDON

Easily identified by their ropy soles, espadrilles

are a distinctive form of footwear

dating back to mid-fourteenthcentury

Europe. Originally worn by

peasants in France, they were first

crafted using esparto, a wiry grass

from the Mediterranean. Today, espadrilles

have evolved to incorporate

jute fiber, a relatively inexpensive material

that’s strong and fashionable.

They come in styles ranging from

wedge sandals to closed-toed slipons

and are popular with both men

and women who want to look chic

and feel comfortable.

In recent years, Puerto Rico has

become a rising force in the field

of shoe design and manufacturing,

thanks in large part to a visionary

who is building the island’s future

on the durable heels of espadrilles.

Born in the scenic hamlet of Cayey,

Monica Bernardy first took up design

with the goal of simply making her

own clothes. “God had another

plan,” she says, referring to what

eventually became a full-fledged

career in the industry.

Bernardy studied fashion in New

York and took an intense course in

accessory making in Spain before

returning to Puerto Rico for additional

education at Centro Moda and

Carlota Alfaro, both of which are

headquartered in San Juan. Rather

than start her own line or work for

another designer, she took an unexpected

path after she graduated.

She found her calling as a professor,

passing her knowledge along

to the Puerto Rico’s next generation

of creative minds.

“I never imagined this was God’s

will for my life. I love to teach and

that is exactly what I’m doing,” Bernardy

said.

It was her students who ultimately

inspired Bernardy to open her own

educational institution. “In my job

as a professor of high fashion at

Centro Moda and EDP University,

the students asked me where they

could study how to design shoes,”

she recalls. The dearth of options on

the island left her dismayed. Without

a local school to recommend, she

Espadrilles are easily identified by their

ropy soles.

From celebrity chefs like Jose

Enrique and Mario Pagan to

world-renowned entertainers

like Lin-Manuel Miranda

and Daddy Yankee, Puerto Rico’s creative

community is thriving. When it

comes to fashion, a local designer is

making her mark in a different way,

and she’s starting from the ground up.

On the Island of Enchantment, it’s all

about the espadrilles.

Puerto Rico has become a rising force in the field of shoe design and

manufacturing.


The Bernardy Studio fills the void

to design accessories such as

purses and shoes in Puerto Rico’s

fashion industry.

took matters into her own hands,

initially leading small workshops that

she offered only to her Facebook

friends. In 2016, The Bernardy Studio

was officially born.

The Bernardy Studio was opened

to fill the void in the area of education

to design accessories such as

purses and shoes in Puerto Rico’s

fashion industry.

The school, which today employs

seven in staff, educates students

who hail from everywhere from Fajardo

to Mayaguez. The curriculum

features classes on how to make a

variety of textiles, from sneakers and

sandals to wallets and backpacks.

The most popular workshop focuses

on crafting espadrilles.

As part of the complex process

of making espadrilles, Bernardy

tests them out first on canvas to

make sure the fit is correct then

she gets inspired on selecting the

color. Once the material (fabric

or leather) is chosen, it is machine

sewn and then a hand stitch called

punto de ojal (buttonhole stitch) is

done.

Some espadrilles are decorated with

small metalwork, buckles, or bias

to provide a special touch while

others are completely crafted with

glitter vinyl.

“Create to educate” is the slogan at

Bernardy Studio and that’s Monica’s

goal - to continue producing accessories

in order to educate her

students.

“The espadrilles are fresh because

the soles are made from jute, which

permits the foot to breathe,” she

says. She notes that they are also

relatively easy for inexperienced

sewers to produce. And while Bernardy

is eager to encourage shoppers

to buy from her students, she

doesn’t sell her own designs. “I have

a passion for educating and that is

where I want to be.”

Much more than just a fashion

statement, espadrilles are an unlikely

means to helping to secure

a better future for Puerto Rico,

one pair at a time. For more information

call Bernardy Studios at

(787) 234-9898.

The curriculum at

Bernardy Studio

features classes

on how to make a

variety of textiles,

from sneakers and

sandals to wallets

and backpacks.

79

Browse, Binge

and Buy Buy Buy

By AMY GORDON

San Juan’s Plaza Las Americas is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean.

Puerto Rico might be best

known for its sandy beaches

and stunning scenery, but

when you’re ready to get

out of the sun and engage in some

serious retail therapy, the island is

packed with opportunities to browse

and buy. From high-end luxury to

discounted outlet stores, options

abound for every style and budget.

Shopping junkies should embark

on their retail journeys at San Juan’s

Plaza Las Americas, the largest shopping

mall in the Caribbean. Since

1968, this sprawling, 1.8 millionsquare-foot

epicenter has thrilled

high-end shoppers and frugal patrons

alike, with stores to appeal to a

plethora of ages and interests.

Anchored by department stores Macy’s,

JCPenney and Sears, the mall

includes more than 300 exciting

outposts. Clothes horses can find

sporty apparel at American Eagle,

Pac Sun, Abercrombie & Fitch and

stay up on the latest trends at affordable

prices at Forever 21, Gap, and

Old Navy and dress to impress with

designer fashion-forward apparel

from Carolina Herrera, Michael

Kors, as well as UNOde50 and

Zara stores both from Spain. Parents

can stock up on what their kids

crave at The Children’s Place, Disney

Store, and Build-A-Bear Workshop

while picking up something special

for themselves at Tiffany & Co., Vom

Fass, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora or

Kury Jeweler, the official Rolex retailer

in Puerto Rico besides having the

most exclusive brands in the world

with unmatched personal service.

Swing by home-grown stores like

Hecho en Puerto Rico to purchase

a vast array of items made in Puerto

Rico, from coffee and rum to soap

and clothing, or hippie-chic looks

from Valija and Hecho a Mano,

among others. And if you need a

suite case to accommodate all of

your purchases, Kipling and Totto

have a stellar selection.

When hunger strikes, there’s no shortage

of delectable options where you

can rest your feet and warm your

belly, from fast-food outposts like Mr.

Pretzels for salty, doughy treats to

full-service crowd pleasers like The

Cheesecake Factory. Sit down for

a pasta-filled feast (with unlimited

breadsticks, of course) at The Olive

Garden, savor noodle dishes, lettuce

wraps, crispy beef and other modern

Chinese fare at PF Chang’s, or opt for

a classic burger and fries at Applebee’s.

Afterwards, follow your nose

to David’s Cookies for fresh-baked,

gooey sweets.

Plaza Carolina, Puerto Rico’s second

largest shopping center, is anchored

by JCPenney, TJ Maxx and Sears

features a variety of affordable stores


like Aeropostale, Bath & Body

Works, Champs Store, Charlotte

Russe, Exentrix, Foot Locker, among

others. The mall offers many dining

options from sit down places such as

Chili’s to Pizza Hut and small kiosks.

For a more refined mall-going excursion

that appeals to patrons looking

for a relaxed setting, The Mall of San

Juan delivers. This elegant mall sports

a mix of uber-high-end labels like Gucci,

Louis Vuitton, Versace, Giuseppe

Zanotti Design, Bulgari, Jimmy Choo,

Coach, and anchor store, Nordstrom

as well as more accessible spots

like H&M, and Banana Republic.

Many of the more than 100 stores

here are unique to the market and

are world-renowned brands like Tiffany,

Salvatore Ferragamo, Daniel

Espinosa Jewelry, Geox, Omega

Boutique, Joaquin Blanco and if

you’re looking to spend your money

at locally-owned boutiques there

is Desigual, Jorge Bared Jeweler,

Lido Jewelers, and local designer

boutiques such as Luis Antonio and

Gustavo Arango- there are plenty

from which to choose.

The shopping experience is made

even more pleasant with amenities

like valet parking and an on-site

concierge service. When you enter,

make your first stop the Information

Desk, where jovial staff are on hand

to help navigate the mall and answer

any questions. But that’s not all

- they’ll give you a shopping passport

that includes a slew of discounts, and

they might even load you up with

coupons for free beauty treatments,

coffee and more.

Dining at the Mall of San Juan is

a true pleasure. On the first floor,

guests can sit down for sushi and

Japanese fare at Kona Grill or flavorful

Puerto Rican dishes at the

newly opened Metropol. One flight

up, Vin’us wine bar is the place to

go for vintages you might not find

anywhere else in the area. For additional

delectable options with a

side of sprawling views, take the

glass-encased elevator to the third

floor. The open-air patio sports

comfy couches and chairs where

you can throw your bags down

and take a load off before heading

over to one of the rooftop’s two

stellar dining options. As its name

suggests, Burger & Beer Joint serves

sumptuous options for both, and

with deliciously crispy pizza, fresh

salads and al-dente pasta, Il Nuovo

Mercato conjures the feeling of relaxed

meal in Italy.

The Mall of San Juan also boasts

alliances with Sony Music, Uforia

Lounge of KQ105 and the Corporation

of Musical Arts to bring patrons

a slate of top-notch entertainment,

including past performances from

showstoppers like Draco, Prince

Royce and the Symphonic Orchestra

of Puerto Rico. And if you’re traveling

with kids, be sure to stop in on a

Tuesday, when youngsters can engage

in free activities like art, crafts,

yoga, and reading sessions.

Puerto Rico also has other quality

shopping malls like San Patricio Plaza

in Guaynabo, Plaza Rio Hondo

in Bayamon, Plaza del Caribe in

Ponce and the Mayaguez Mall in

Mayaguez, which is situated in the

beautiful western coast of the island.

The Mayaguez Mall (the third largest

in Puerto Rico) and has over 120

well rounded stores, restaurants and

entertainment outlets catering to all

budgets. That is why it’s known as

the main shopping center in the west.

It even has a heliport within the mall

property.

The key outlets at the Mayaguez

Mall include department store anchors

Sears and JCPenney as well

as stores like Pandora, Tous, Totto,

Florsheim, Marshalls, Shoe Carnival.

For a more refined mall-going excursion that appeals to patrons looking for a relaxed setting, The Mall of San Juan delivers.

81

81

An affordable outpost

for seasoned shoppers

is Puerto Rico Premium

Outlets in Barceloneta,

just a 45-minute drive

from San Juan.

Also, you can enjoy before or after

your shopping spree a variety of

tourism attractions, relax at spectacular

nearby beaches, eat good food

or opt to visit a casino at the Holiday

Inn Mayaguez or at the Mayaguez

Resort & Casino.

Meanwhile, fabulous haute couture

and jewelry emporiums – emblazoned

with the most famous names

in fashion are situated in luxury condominiums

that share space with

swimsuit and trendy surf shops, local

independently owned boutiques,

upscale jewelry stores and souvenir

shops, along palm-lined ocean-side

drives in Isla Verde beach district

and the swanky and highly popular

Condado.

A short walk away, the iconic Caribe

Hilton (scheduled to reopen in

spring 2019), said to be the birthplace

of the piña colada cocktail

- is just steps from Paseo Caribe, an

open-air shopping plaza with unique

options ranging from unique luxury

brands to gastronomic treasure like

El Mercado – an upscale food

market with a mix of local gourmet

restaurants, butcher shops and other

gourmet food boutiques under one

roof, to It Girl, a hot spot for ultrafeminine

clothing and accessories

that are always on trend.

To enjoy a shopping trip with a

hearty dose of Puerto Rican history

and culture, Old San Juan is

the ideal destination. As you stroll

up and down the blue cobblestone

The Outlets at Montehiedra is a mix of brand name outlet stores and local offerings in

a one level enclosed mall housing over 100 stores.

streets and take in the pastel-colored

buildings and distinct architecture in

this section of the city, there is no

shortage of unique and charming

shops to duck into for everything from

custom-fitted hats to one-of-a-kind art

to Fair Trade Certified home decor

sourced from around the world. (For

more on where to quench your retail

thirst in Old San Juan, see “Find that

unique travel memento in Old San

Juan” on Page 70).

Elsewhere in San Juan, there is an explosion

of retail creativity taking place

in up and coming urban zones in

downtown Santurce and along Loiza

Street by the beach at Ocean Park as

well as in the Miramar neighborhood

and the Hato Rey financial district.

You’ll find street fashion boutiques, up

and coming food shops, and beachwear

stores among others.

Thrifty travelers can score discounts

throughout the island. Looking for

brand names like Calvin Klein,

Guess, and Tommy Hilfiger but don’t

want to spend too much money?

The Outlet 66 Mall in Canovanas

is your answer. As you stroll up and

down the corridors in this expansive

shopping haven, stock up on

marked-down fragrances, sneakers

and even underwear. The space

recently got a makeover, changing

up its look to appeal to younger

customers, which includes modern

and cleaner store facades, and

tenants like Aeropostale, Burlington,

Journey’s, Lids, Nautica, Sketchers,

Trollbeads, among others and the

addition of the awesomely thrilling

Sector Sixty6 entertainment complex

for gaming and more (see sidebar

“Adrenaline junkie overload at The

Outlet 66 Mall” on Page 66.

Another affordable outpost for

seasoned shoppers is Puerto Rico

Premium Outlets in Barceloneta, just

a 45-minute drive from San Juan

(but the drive is totally worth it) and

features 90 designer and brand

name stores. At this outdoor, colorful

village-style outlet mall with great

looking window displays, you can

score huge savings of up to 65% off

on pretty much anything at popular

designer spots like Ann Taylor,

Michael Kors, and Lacoste. There

are also a chock full of factory outlet

shops like Ann Taylor Factory Store,

Michael Kors Outlet, Gap Factory,

Maidenform Outlet, Guess Factory,

Loft Outlet, Nautica Factory, Nike

Factory Outlet, Polo Ralph Lauren

Factory Store, Puma Outlet, Aldo

Outlet, The Children’s Place Outlet,

Banana Republic Factory Store, Disney

Store Outlet, Old Navy Outlet

and Vans Outlet offering great prices

on merchandise from top manufacturers

and distributors.

When you’ve exhausted your shopping

allowance and extraordinary

experience because of the outlet’s

tropical outdoor atmosphere, sit

down to grab a bite to eat, ranging

from quick options like Charley’s

Philly Steaks, California BBQ and

full-service dining at Olive Garden

or Chili’s Grill and Bar.

The Outlets at Montehiedra, a mix

of brand name outlet stores and local

offerings in a one level enclosed

mall housing over 100 stores ranging

from Gap to Polo Ralph Lauren

Factor Store and anchored by Big

Kmart, the Home Depot and Marshall’s.

No matter where you go on the island,

stellar shopping opportunities

are open for business.

So get out your credit card, don a

pair of comfortable shoes (or buy

them!) and get ready to shop your

heart out, Puerto Rico style.


MEET IN PUERTO RICO

Revamped hotels

pump breath of fresh air

perfect for pure pampering

By PETER MARTIN

It’s no secret that if you are in Puerto Rico, and

not just on business, it is probably because

the promise of pleasant days, sunny skies, hot

sand underfoot on the way to a refreshing dip

in the ocean is just too tempting an escape from

dreary weather or gloomy gray days.

Besides, sunny Puerto Rico is the ideal destination

for a quick getaway or vacation, easy to fly

to and endowed with all the charm of a foreign

country where English is spoken widely and

no passport is required. For active travelers,

the island offers all the fun sports, from surfing

and snorkeling to hiking and spelunking. But if

all you want to do is relax on a golden beach

- that is fine too.

Lodging options are plentiful, ranging from

grand city hotels and cozy bed & breakfasts

to budget hostelries and luxury resorts with

spectacular ambience and sea-side locations.

Visitors’ biggest quandary is probably deciding

what hotel environment best fits their mood:

luxe, romantic, urbane, laid back, or tropical.

The good news is that travelers returning or

visiting Puerto Rico for the first time will find a

Photo: San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino has been able to continue operating normally even as it forged ahead with its renovation agenda.

83

revitalized hotel sector, part of an

industry-wide revamp that is pumping

fresh energy into the industry.

“We are open for business and

have a totally refreshed, totally new

product,” Clarisa Jimenez, president

and CEO of the Puerto Rico

Hotel and Tourism Association, told

Bienvenidos.

Nearly a dozen hotels have undergone

or are still in the process of

major renovations while others have

made improvements or tweaked their

offerings.

New hotels have also come on

board. Serafina, a $46 million

boutique hotel in Condado, opened

its doors in March 2018 while the

intriguingly named O:LV55, an $8

million boutique hotel, was already

taking reservations in October. It too

is based in Condado.

The island’s tourism industry is currently

in a process of vigorous expansion

with as many as 28 projects

under development. Some of these

projects are part of large initiatives

such as those currently underway at

the Puerto Rico Convention Center

District in San Juan. District Live! is a

$150 million world-class entertainment

hub featuring an 8,000-seat

theatre, a 175-room Aloft hotel,

restaurants, shops and eight movie

theaters with high-tech features and

interactive screens. It is slated to

open in the fall of 2019.

Some 11 hotels have undergone full

or partial revamps or are still in the

process of renovation, with several

properties planning reopenings during

the first or second quarter of

2019. The renovations aim to give

the properties a fresh new start and

bring them in line with the needs of

contemporary travelers.

Reopened are three of the island’s

luxe properties, dreamy resorts that

combine escape with the pleasures

of high living: Dorado Beach-Ritz

Carlton Reserve, in Dorado; the St.

Regis Bahia Beach Resort, in Rio

Grande; and El San Juan Hotel

Curio Collection by Hilton, in Isla

Verde.

Spread over 50 acres of luscious

tropical landscape, Dorado Beach

bills itself as “an enchanting sanctuary

of exclusive luxury” offering three

El San Juan Hotel in Isla Verde Beach was voted the Best Urban Beach in the U.S.

18-hole golf courses, a state-of-the-art

fitness center, an aquatic adventure

park, and beachside dining.

As part of its latest revamp, the resort’s

114 beachfront guest rooms

and suites were repainted in neutral

tones, outfitted with clean lined,

mid-century furnishings, and accessorized

with curated art, bed throws

and custom-designed rugs graced

with Taino motifs. Su Casa, the Reserve’s

splendid five-bedroom villa

and former home of famed aviator

Clara Livingston, was fully modernized

with close attention to preserving

its distinctive appeal.

There can never be enough green

to beguile the eye so Reserve’s

spectacular grounds, featuring palmstudded

beaches and an 11-mile

nature trail actively used by guests,

was enhanced with 300,000

new plant specimens for an even

richer experience of the lush tropical

Serafina Beach Hotel, a $46 million boutique hotel in Condado, opened its doors in March 2018.


environment. And since all that fresh

air is bound to build up an appetite,

count on fabulous meals thanks to

a menu redo.

With its latest $60 million renovation,

the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort

reaches new heights of splendor as

all its 139 guest rooms and suites

show off the polished new look that

noted local designer Nono Maldonado

put together with internationally

renowned Hirsch Bedner Associates

of San Francisco. The design features

a contemporary, organic aesthetic

and a palette of white and blues

shades that beautifully complements

the stunning setting of the resort.

The renovation included the Plantation

House, a glamorous gathering

space that is the heart of the resort

with its St. Regis Bar and signature

fine-dining restaurant; the seaside

pool and esplanade that now offer

a casual dining option for guests; the

spa and the ocean-front golf course

designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Located on 483 pristine acres and

boasting a two-mile stretch of private

beach, the St. Regis is planning an

upcoming $30 million expansion of

the resort that will add 60 oceanfront

rooms designed to be family-friendly

and flexible.

Fresh from a $65 million renovation

that preserved its old-world

grandeur while weaving in a modern

tropical vibe, the legendary El

San Juan Hotel relaunched with a

grand reopening. The redo took in

all 388 guest rooms, poolside and

oceanfront villas and suites, public

spaces, pools, cabanas and landscaping.

The goal: blend the historic

with the modern. In restoring the

hotel’s classic aesthetic, the hotel’s

owners wanted to shine a light on

the features that have made El San

Juan such an iconic and beloved

hotel, not to mention a favorite

venue for school proms. These include

the grand entrance with its

stunning oval-shaped, hand blown

chandelier from Czechoslovakia,

the third largest in the world, and

the lobby built out of hand carved

cherry mahogany.

El San Juan, located on two miles

of pristine Isla Verde Beach, recently

voted the Best Urban Beach in the

U.S., boasts four pools, a new stateof-the-art

tri-level Well & Being Fitness

Center, a nightclub (Brava) and

two new restaurant concepts. Caña

Serafina Beach Hotel, opened ready to attract affluent millennials looking for a fun getaway.

85

Some of the revamps at the Ponce Hilton Golf & Casino Resort include the lobby,

which got new tropical style furniture, gardens and ambience and the El Bohio

Sport and Pool Bar.

by Juliana Gonzalez offers a menu

based on a new wave of socially

and environmentally minded ways

of eating. Its emphasis is on locally

sourced, fresh ingredients from island

farmers and fishermen. Chef

Gonzalez, born and raised in Puerto

Rico, has led some of the finest restaurants

in Spain and Miami.

Meat Market is for meat lovers. This

contemporary steakhouse boasts

a sophisticated ambiance and its

menu offers a variety of prime cuts

of meat, exceptional seafood and

cutting-edge gastronomy, coupled

with a top-notch Wine Spectator

award-winning wine list.

Also with a greatly revamped appearance

is the Ponce Hilton Golf &

Casino Resort, a first-class hospitality

resort in the island’s southern region.

All its 255 rooms, including the 100

rooms of the Ocean Tower, were

refreshed with new color schemes

and furnishings such as beds, wall

frames, lamps and décor. The revamp

also covered the lobby (which

got new tropical style furniture, gardens,

ambience); El Bohio Sport and

Pool Bar (new bar counter and tropical

furniture); and the Fitness Center

(new carpeting, painting and premier

fitness equipment). In other improvements,

the tennis court facilities were

reconditioned, a state-of-the-art

parking system was installed and

the casino facilities were revamped.

Serralles Hotel, Inc., owners of the

property plunked more than $3 million

into the renovation.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation.

Revamps underway

While some hotel properties remain

closed in anticipation of future reopenings,

others are able to undergo

revamps while doing business

as usual. That’s the case of the San

Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris


Embassy Suites San Juan repainted the building to give it a more modern and

fresher appearance inspired on the ocean.

Casino which has been able to

continue operating normally even

as it forges ahead with its renovation

agenda.

It debuted a new pool deck, pool

area’s landscape design and new

beach front restaurant, Gingambo

(after the African word for okra). The

eatery captivates guests with its light

and airy design. Furnishings, natural

and wood elements, tiling and decor

create a Caribbean ambience

founded on a simple but elegant

style. The menu includes tasty salads

and Puerto Rican recipes.

The renovation of the 123 guest

rooms in the Marriott’s Cabana

Tower should be ready by spring

2019. Also newly renovated are the

ocean Club Spa & Wellness Center

and coffee house La Panaderia on

the main floor. Both are open.

Embassy Suites San Juan completed

its remodeling in three stages where

they repainted the building to give it

a more modern and fresher appearance

inspired on the ocean. Besides

a new paint job, the furniture, rugs

and meeting room sound system were

replaced.

Over at the Embassy Suites by Hilton

Dorado del Mar Beach Resort, the

upper level rooms were refurbished.

Every room in this Caribbean haven

is a two-room suite with a separate

living area. Even though the property

was under renovation, it still open

its doors while work was going on.

At the stunning oceanfront Condado

Plaza, located in the heart of

the Condado District, renovations

focused heavily on beautifying its

luxurious contemporary guest rooms

and suites as well as restaurant outlets.

The property remained open

during renovation process and simply

waived the resort fee.

YOUR

COMPLETE

SOLUTION!

SALES & RENTAL • CUSTOM & MODULAR EXHIBITS • REMODELING • E

CUSTOM & MODULAR EXHIBITS • TENT MANUFACTURING • EVENT COORDINATION • DRAYAGE • SALES & RENTAL • PIPES & DRAPES • MA

TURING • EVENT COORDINATION • PIPES & DRAPES • DRAYAGE • SALES & RENTAL • MANTLING & DISMANTLING • STORAGE • SIGNS & GRAPHICS

CUSTOM & MODULAR EXHIBITS• CONSTRUCTION• TENT MANUFACTURING • EVENT COORDINATION •

EXHIBITS

EVENTS SIGNS

TENTS GRAPHICS

CONSTRUCTION

The former ESJ Towers property in

the Isla Verde reopened its doors as

AZUL following a $12 million investment.

Touted as a vacation ownership/timeshare

offering with a hotel

component, AZUL features 450

rooms in 17 floors, ranging from

studios to three-bedroom apartments

with kitchenettes or full kitchens. The

www.expocaribe.net

787-288-3535

87

P.O. Box 195507 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919

Aerial view of the Caribe Hilton.

The property boasts outdoor touches inspired by the island of enchantment.

The Caribe Hilton features vibrant culture, lively colors and rich history of San Juan.

renovation of the building and its

grounds, including hallways and

landings on all floors, game room, a

lobby bar and lounge area, as well

as the addition of a new hospitality

center. AZUL also constitutes the first

in a series of properties to be called

the esj Collection.

Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, whose

building calls to mind the prows of

the ships docked right across from

it, began its renovation last year. All

240 guest rooms and suites were

completely redone from top to bottom,

with the revamp extending to

all public spaces as well. The hotel,

whose Palio restaurant has an outdoor

terrace offering stunning, views of the

bay and tropical sunsets, added a

new upscale eatery.

New Hotels

While Puerto Rico hotels busied

themselves with their renovations,

new hotels joined the hotel landscape.

Serafina, located next door

to the Vanderbilt and La Concha duo

on Ashford Ave., opened ready to

attract affluent millennials looking

for a fun getaway. The luxury hotel

has 92 rooms and a signature

restaurant, aMare (an Italian word

that means “to love” or “to the sea”),

that sits 120 people and features

traditional Italian seafood tweaked

with Puerto Rican culinary flavors.

There is also a poolside lounge that

serves up light fare such as burgers,

pizza and sandwiches along

with handcrafted cocktails and, in

the lobby, PiñaCo bar does double

duty: during the day it serves as an

espresso bar that also serves light

breakfast dishes, pressed juices and

revitalizing detox shots. At night, the

bar serves handcrafted cocktails prepared

by master mixologists.

Some of the hotels that did not require

renovations, either because unnecessary

or already been done in

recent years, turned their attention to

making improvements to other areas

such as food, a key aspect for any

hotel. For example, InterContinental


San Juan, a 398 room hotel in Isla

Verde, this year opened Aleli, a new

restaurant that features local cuisine.

InterContinental, a lively spot on

week-ends thanks to its live music

program, including Salsa Night on

Fridays, also operates the popular

Saki restaurant, featuring an Asiatic

fusion menu. AC Hotel by Marriott, a

stylish hotel that opened in Condado

in 2017, carried out improvements

not related to the food area.

In coming months, more hotels are

scheduled to reopen their doors for

business. They include the Melia

Coco Beach in Rio Grande and

Palmas del Mar in Humacao. The

Ritz-Carlton San Juan is expected to

reopen during the second quarter

of 2019.

The Caribe Hilton recently opened

its doors for business following a

15-month closure. The hotel is celebrating

its 70th birthday and as Hilton

marks its 100th anniversary.

Caribe Hilton delivers contemporary

guestroom and suite renovations; fitness

center; spa; tennis center (in collaboration

with Puerto Rican Olympic

gold medalist Monica Puig); and an

incredible 65,000 square feet of indoor

and outdoor event space.

Boasting touches inspired by ‘the

island of enchantment,’ Caribe Hilton’s

reinvigorated look is deeply influenced

by the vibrant culture, lively

colors and rich history of San Juan,

as well as the warmth and charm of

the locals who call it home.

Meanwhile the former Wyndham

Garden hotel in Humacao reopened

under its original name, the Candelero

Beach Resort in Palmas del

Mar. The property has relaunched as

Puerto Rico’s only all-inclusive resort, it

offers the experience of a resort with

the amenities of a full-service boutique

hotel. The feature includes meals and

all beverages in any of the bars and

restaurants in the resort. The property

features 107 recently renovated rooms

and five restaurant bar experiences

— to be increased to eight by spring

2019 — nearly 18,000 square feet

of banquet space, a boardroom, and

business desk, which cater to the corporate

client.

All reopenings will bring the island’s

lodging inventory back to its former

level.

Mayagüez

Enjoy the ride.

Enjoy our fast flights and easy connections to

more of your favorite Caribbean destinations.

Book online today.

San Juan

Enjoy the ride.

Vieques

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St. Thomas

St. Croix

Tortola

800-CAPE-AIR

Caribe Hilton showcases contemporary guest rooms and suites.

BETWEEN THE AMERICAS

Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” series dropped anchor on the pristine

coasts of one of our tiny islets, Palominito.

District Live! is a multi-million dollar innovative entertainment center being

developed next to the Convention Center in San Juan.

SETTING

The

perfect

for big-screen productions

By PETER MARTIN

Puerto Rico is one of those

destinations that for years

has been a magnet for

film and television productions.

And the reason is simple:

its pristine beaches, rustic cave

formations, lush rainforest, inland

beauty, urban neighborhoods,

historic cobblestone streets and

notable architecture. One of the

most magical effects about movies

is their ability to transport viewers

to new locations and make them

feel as if they were part of those

settings and Puerto Rico provides

those picture perfect sceneries that

can represent locations from anywhere

in the world.

In the last decade, Puerto Rico has

drawn scores of local and off-island

producers who scout ideal backdrops

for their films all over the San Juan

metropolitan area, coastal towns such

as Ceiba and Fajardo, as well as our

island municipalities of Vieques and

Culebra, just to name a few of the

favorite spots that tend to garner audience

attention and fanfare – quickly

becoming tourism hot spots.

Important as well is the local talent

— professional, technical and

support staff, and actors — which

movie producers have bestowed the

distinction of being some of the best

in the business.

Blockbuster Hollywood films such as

“Runner, Runner” — starring Ben Affleck

and Justin Timberlake — filmed

scenes inside the iconic El San Juan

Hotel in Isla Verde with its emblematic

lobby chandelier, hand-carved

Mahogany and spectacular ocean

views - as well as several installments

of Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean”

series, which dropped

anchor on the pristine coasts of one

of our tiny islets, Palominito.

“Our Brand is Crisis,” starring Sandra

Bullock, rolled in Puerto Rico

in 2014 on the urban streets of

Rio Piedras, the central mountains

of Naranjito and the beautiful

coastlines of Fajardo and Ceiba.

Meanwhile, Adam Sandler has

also headed several projects for

Netflix on the island, including

“The Do-Over,” (2016) which he

co-starred with David Spade. More

than once, the duo was seen filming

in Old San Juan, which has

served as a set for countless other

movies with its brightly colored

Spanish colonial houses and blue

cobblestone streets.

Most recently, Affleck returned to the

island, joining Anne Hathaway in the

upcoming Netflix original film “The

last thing he wanted,” which selected

several locations on the island during


its production process in 2018, including

the Julio Enrique Monagas

National Park in Bayamon – a 200-

acre nature respite for families and

adventurers. Netflix also shot “She’s

gotta have it,” and “Nicky Jam, El

Ganador,” which will also airs on

Telemundo in 2019.

Sony Crackle also saw Puerto Rico’s

potential, filming the first two seasons

of its multi-episode series, “The

Oath,” which rolled in Old San Juan,

Rio Piedras and Punta Las Marias

(part of the Ocean Park beach

community) in 2018. Season two

is set for a February 2019 release.

Local big-screen productions also

made some noise in 2018, with the

back-to-back filming of the “Domirriqueños

2 and 3,” which received

incentives from the Puerto Rico Film

Development Fund.

That allure remains very much alive

and will likely gain additional momentum

in years to come thanks to a

combination of new film production

studios under construction in San

Juan and incentives available from

the Puerto Rico Film Commission and

other agencies.

The agency oversees the Puerto Rico

Film Industry Economic Incentives Act,

which was enacted to solidify Puerto

Rico’s position as one of the leading

jurisdictions for the production of film,

television, and other media projects.

The Act provides tax exemptions and

tax credits to businesses engaged

in film production in Puerto Rico.

Another draw in coming years will

be the $136 million Puerto Rico Film

District complex at the Isla Grande

sector of San Juan, a proposition by

British businessman Keith St. Clair

to continue drawing the eyes of the

production world to the island.

fitting rooms and a film school, St.

Clair explained.

“The important aspect of the project

is its location. The Puerto Rico Convention

Center District is strategic

real estate for groups and conventions

and the integration of that

complex will balance the visitor’s

experience,” said Noelia García,

deputy director of the Convention

Center District.

A new component, a 300-room hotel,

has been added to the blueprint

at the request of the government, adding

that there is the possibility that the

project will also include a 1,000-seat

theater to draw permanent shows,

much like what takes place on Broadway

in New York City.

Blockbuster Hollywood film “Runner, Runner” starring Ben Affleck and

Justin Timberlake filmed scenes in San Juan.

Currently under construction, the

46-acre campus is adjacent to

the Puerto Rico Convention Center

and the District LIVE! entertainment

complex to be built with a bustling

Time Square-esque atmosphere. The

Puerto Rico Film District will include

a 180,000 square-foot facility that

will house five sound stages, administrative

offices, conference rooms,

post production and editing rooms,

The first elements of the complex

should open in late 2020 and the

full project should be completed in

2022. If St. Clair builds the hotel first,

it will be likely open in December

2020.

So while relaxing on the beach or

shopping in the Old City, you never

know what Hollywood A-lister you

may spot!

91

Island

Highlights

• Adventures

• Ziplines

• Rappeling

• Rock climbing

• Go karts

Ph. 787.235.0611

Email:

haciendalafeadventurepark@gmail.com

Facebook:

Hacienda La Fe Adventure Park

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DrTorres@conciergemedicalservicespsc.com

CELEBRATE, SHARE & ENJOY

Enjoy every night Videos & Music while you

experience the best Daiquiris in Puerto Rico.

Frozen daiquiris, jello shots and a variety of

local and import drinks and beers…

(787) 692-2072

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La Parguera

A Caribbean dream

The seaside village also has a number of attractive boutiques selling beachwear and beautiful crafts and artwork, which also adds La Parguera’s considerable charm.

By PETER MARTIN

La Parguera is a dreamily

beautiful coastal town

that is the perfect place to

explore Puerto Rico’s southwest

region and the wonders to be

found in the surrounding jeweled

Caribbean waters. You’ll want to

dive right in!

This gorgeous coastal town has its

own phosphorescent bay, with waters

that glow at night, and a famed

coastline ringed by small islets with

gorgeous beaches surrounded by

clear, tranquil waters. La Parguera is

among the best spots in the Caribbean

for swimming, fishing, snorkeling,

diving and kite boarding. La

Parguera’s central seaside plaza is

packed with charming restaurants,

bars, guesthouses and boutique hotels.

The establishments offer surprisingly

sophisticated fare, from cutting

edge seafood and fusion cuisine to

artisan cocktails and craft beers. The

seaside village also has a number

of attractive boutiques selling beachwear

and beautiful crafts and artwork,

which also adds La Parguera’s

considerable charm. It’s a wonderful

break from the sun during the day

and is one of the main dinner and

nightlife destinations in the southwest.

The place is also the take-off point for

voyages into the pristine Caribbean

by boat and water sports operators.

And if for some reason you don’t

want to get on a boat, be sure to visit

La Parguera’s Playita Rosada beach,


INSIDE LA ISLA

If you want to dive into the bay, your best bet is to take a trip on one of the several

smaller boat excursions run by one of the local water sports tour operators.

a stretch of sand within its mangrovechocked

coastline, with fabulous saltwater

swimming pool created from

a square wooden dock.

To get to La Parguera, you take a

two-lane highway along the emerald

Lajas Valley in southern Puerto Rico,

the majestic Cordillera Central mountain

chain looming in the distance

and cutting across the horizon. The

drive then winds down a country

road, which swoops through tropical

forest and darts across hillsides cutting

between views of the sparkling

Caribbean Sea and lush landscape.

It is among Puerto Rico’s loveliest areas,

but despite the beauty of the

approach to La Parguera by land,

the charms of this seaside village

are truly appreciated from the sea.

Several small cays and islets, bobbing

in the sparkling sea like floating

tropical gardens, front the pretty village,

which is marked by the colorful

facades of its iconic boathouses

breaking through its green shoreline,

and beautiful guesthouses and vacation

residences scattered across the

sun kissed hillsides surrounding town

that overlook the coast.

The town boasts some of the best

hotels, restaurants and bars in the

region, which is another reason

La Parguera is the one of the most

popular vacation spots in this picturesque

area.

It’s the epicenter for water sports,

boating and fishing, and is near several

natural wonders in the areas, like

the Guancia Dry forest and the Cabo

Rojo lighthouse and adjacent coastal

nature reserve, as well as the bounty

of historic and cultural attractions in

Ponce and San German. The town is

also likely to be your best choice for a

meal, gourmet beer or craft cocktail

in the region, and it’s one of the best

parties in the southwest, with live music

in several establishments on many

nights, especially weekends.

The Parguera Plaza Hotel is one of

La Parguera’s best lodging options,

overlooking the village’s main plaza,

where something always seems to

be going on, and the tranquil Caribbean

Sea beyond it. While the lobby

and pool area have lots of activity

on weekends and other nights, including

live performances, the hotel

also features a series of elevated terraces,

as we as its second and third

level rooms, that stay a world apart,

blessed by not only a sea view but a

sea breeze as well. The property has

a great full sized swimming pool and

95

surrounding terrace, just off the tropical

courtyard, and the staff is super

friendly and attentive to your needs.

Another fine option is the Turtle Bay

Inn, which is within walking distance

of La Parguera’s village but is in a

quiet residential neighborhood. The

guesthouse is so spotlessly maintained,

and features fine home-style

decor that you might mistake for a

beloved grandmother’s house. The

inn is also known for its home-cooked

breakfasts, fine pool area and adjacent

snack-bar. The friendliness of

its staff is also part of the allure of

this property, which is likely to trigger

cherished memories from your youth.

There are a number of new restaurants

that have opened in recent years that

have helped launch a gastronomic

revolution in La Parguera, but the town

also has some of the region’s best old

school seafood and comida criolla

restaurants at water’s edge with decades

of experience serving up the

classic fare. Moon’s Bar & Tapas at

the entrance to town is one of the

new establishments helping to create

the culinary excitement. This comfy

wooden, open air spot maybe low

key but it serves sophisticated tapas

with fine ingredients and features

friendly service and a great vibe.

Right adjacent to the main plaza

and the Parguera Plaza Hotel, lies

Isla Cueva, which calls itself a beer

and burger bar but in reality packs a

menu with enough punch to please

any taste. There’s a complete tapas

menu -- from fried calamari to sliders

to Mexican classics to fried local

cheese. Of course, the burgers are

dynamite, and they include enough

variety to please anyone, with fish,

chicken and vegetarian options –

and a slew of inventive toppings.

The restaurant also serves delicious

American-style breakfasts.

The best part of Isla Cueva, however,

maybe the pizza and craft

Moon’s Bar & Tapas offers creative fare.

Cutting edge seafood helps to create

culinary excitement.

beer “cave” upstairs, which has the

region’s widest selection of craft

beer and delicious brick oven pizza.

There are great pizza options,

including insanely delicious alternatives

for meat lovers and vegetarians,

and you can create your own. The

wide selection of draft craft beer will

quench the thirst of brew aficionados,

with the menu including premium

local selections like s like Ocean

Lab Brewing, Señorial Brewing, FOK

Brewing, Del Barril, Boquerón Brewing

and Old Harbor Brewery. Make

sure to try a beer “sampler” which

gives allows you to sample a number

of craft beers of your selection. The

open air dining terrace overlooks the

action downtown and the harbor.

Fogata Bar and Grill is another great

Tours companies offer kayak tours to the bay.

La Parguera is the gateway to some of the finest scuba diving in the world. Nearby

is the legendary La Pared.

option in La Parguera. This spot also

has an upper level, open air dining

room overlooking the town’s gorgeous

coastline that is the perfect

spot to enjoy the intoxicating mix of

flavorful food and dizzying beautiful

vistas. It specializes in grilled fish and

steaks, as well true renditions of local

comida criolla. There is often live

music and other special events. La

Casita, meanwhile, is one of La Parguera’s

oldest eating establishments,


La Parguera is marked by the colorful facades of its iconic boathouses breaking

through the green shoreline.

Mata la Gata has a rectangular deck that forms a natural swimming pool.

One of the most popular islets is Cayo Enrique, which is surrounded by mangrove channels.

The daytime also requires an offshore excursion of some sort to fully partake of the

La Paguera experience.

a simple family restaurant with delicious

seafood and Puerto Rican fare

near the town’s marina.

There is always a carnival atmosphere

along the town’s harbor area,

with food kiosks, open air bars and

artisans and street vendors. You can

grab a slice at Tony’s pizza, which is

open late night, or nibble on homemade

Puerto Rican pastries and desserts

from stands. Be sure to the try

the famous homemade sangria at

Coño’s, which also features Puerto

Rico classics on the jukebox and

beautiful festival prints and other

Puerto Rican artwork that provide

insight into island history and culture.

And of course, you cannot leave

La Parguera without shooting a

game of pool at the Mar & Tierra

Sports Bar, which is right near the

dock for the Phosphorescent Bay

ferry and other charter boats. The

bar makes great piña coladas and

mojitos and has a full line of frituras,

the fried beach snacks for which

Puerto Rico is famous, and draws

a festival crowd.

You’ll want to visit the phosphorescent

bay while here, especially on

moonless nights, when the glowing

waters are at their brightest. The bay

is surrounded by mangroves and

its glowing waters are caused by

millions of microscopic plankton,

which brighten when the water is

disturbed by a boat or swimmer. The

bays are extremely rare, but Puerto

Rico is blessed with three of them,

and the La Parguera bay is the only

one visitors can swim in. The easiest

way to see the bay is to take a ride

on the glass bottomed boat called

the Fondo de Cristal, which takes

several evening voyages to the bay

from the waterfront village.

If you want to dive into the bay, your

best bet is to take a trip on one of the

several smaller boat excursions to the

bay, or alternately on a kayak excursion

run by one of the local water

97

La Parguera’s sunsets are world class, and you will be submersing yourself in one

natural phenomenon.

sports tour operators. Veteran ecotour

operator Aleli Tours offers both

power boat and kayak tours to the

bay, while Paradise Scuba runs a

snorkeling trip to the bay, which provides

a unique twist on the adventure.

One of the most pleasant ways to

explore the bay is to combine it with a

sunset cruise, with Frank Ocean Trips

offering such a voyage on a beautiful

boat. La Parguera’s sunsets are worldclass,

and you will be submersing

yourself in one natural phenomenon

and then another equally splendid

one. The trips usually include drinks

and snacks.

The daytime also requires an offshore

excursion of some sort to fully

partake of the La Paguera experience,

and wow what options!

You can hire a first-class vessel

with an experienced captain for

a half-day excursion, arrange for

transport to and from one of the

islets from town, or rent your own

boat for the day. There are also

snorkel tours, as well as kayak and

paddleboard tours.

The point is to get out there anyway

you’d like so you find out what’s so

special about La Parguera, a place

of gin-clear water, cut by underwater

reefs, floating mangrove forests

and scattered islets and cays, with

verdant interiors but ringed by white

sand beaches. The swimming is

delicious, but you might also be

tempted to fall back into the shallow

water and simply relax, with

your preferred beverage in hand.

Another local thrill is to ride the current,

either with your body, board

or kayak, through the canals cutting

through the coastal mangrove forest.

The snorkeling here is glorious, the

waters teeming with corral, marine

vegetation and a dazzling array of

tropical fish. And every cay and islet

has fine snorkeling just offshore.

One of the most popular islets is

Caracoles, which is surrounded by

mangrove channels. Mata la Gata

has restroom facilities and a rectangular

deck that forms a natural swimming

pool. Cayo Enrique is another

popular cay just offshore.

Of course, a snorkeling tour can

get you to the best prime snorkeling

spot depending on current

conditions, and many of the vessels

are comfortable hangouts with

music, beverages and snacks. Any

voyage you take will include an

obligatory stop on an offshore cay

for lunch and some downtime on

the beach.

La Parguera is also the gateway to

some of the finest scuba diving in

the world. Nearby is the legendary

The Wall, or La Pared. This 20-mile

long towering wall runs from 60 to

120 feet underwater before plunging

down to depths of 1,500 feet as it

runs off the continental shelf, and its

endless diving sites offer great visibility,

the region’s best array of marine

life and among its most dramatic coral

formations. Both Paradise Scuba

and Snorkeling and Papayo Divers

offer diving trips to The Wall and

snorkeling trips to the offshore cays

and other spots. For kayaking and

paddleboard adventures, try Aleli

Tours or Kayaking Parguera Tours.

As wonderous a place as La Parguera’s

offshore water world is,

you’ll leave being a big fan of

Playita Rosita, La Parguera’s iconic

“beach.” It has a wonderful picnic

area and a stretch of sandy beach

bordered by mangrove forest. The

natural “swimming pool” formed by

a rectangular wooden deck is the

perfect spot for a swim or just chill

out in the water or deck side, and

it’s one of the top spots in Puerto

Rico to take a selfie!

The seaside village also has a number of attractive boutiques selling beachwear and beautiful crafts and artwork, which also adds La Parguera’s considerable charm.


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La Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), Salto Barreal in Peñuelas.

SPORTS AT A GLANCE

Taking

the Plunge

Canyoning offers big thrills

in Puerto Rico’s lush highlands

By PETER MARTIN

Puerto Rico enjoys a wellearned

place among the premier

sun and sand destinations

in the Caribbean and beyond.

Long celebrated as an ocean sports

hotbed, Puerto Rico in recent years

has emerged as a rock-solid island

for a range of inland adventure pursuits

including canyoning, an outdoor

activity that will have you trekking up,

down, and around some of the most

remote and beautiful areas.

Canyoning essentially entails exploring

canyons, rivers, or waterfalls by using

specialized equipment and vertical

techniques to descend or traverse from

point A to point B. Adventure-hungry

travelers expect to be immersed in

unspoiled nature and put through the

paces of a multi-discipline outdoor activity

that can involves hiking, rappelling,

jumping, diving, swimming, and

climbing through landscapes which

would otherwise be inaccessible. All

on a single outing.

Split down the middle by a mountain

range that runs east to west known

as the central cordillera, Puerto Rico’s

maze of steep terrain is home to a

dizzying array of cascades and waterfalls

as mountain streams fed by

frequent rains plunge quickly toward

the Atlantic Ocean to the north and

the Caribbean Sea to the south.

Unlike other canyoning playgrounds

around the globe, Puerto Rico’s

tropical climate allows for excursions

year-round. As with nearly all

outdoor activities in the Caribbean,

it’s always canyoning season on the

Enchanted Isle.

As interest in canyoning has surged,

the number of established routes has

expanded considerably in recent

years and seasoned guides are ready

to lead you through them. Nearly four

dozen routes -- generally defined as

river sections with at least three or

four successive waterfalls -- have been

traversed and documented and more

are being explored and established.

A driving force in that development is

Canyoning Puerto Rico (also known

as CañonismoPR), collective of friends

with diverse backgrounds in outdoor

pursuits such as hiking, caving, river

trekking, scuba diving, mountain biking,

rock climbing, and nature photography.

“All of us share a common denominator:

a passion for the outdoors,” says

Canyoning Puerto Rico founder Jose

Mendez. “Our ethics are tightly tied

to the preservation and safeguarding

of our natural resources, which serve

as the stage for our hobbies, sports,

and our lives.”

As a team, Canyoning Puerto Rico

specializes in the exploration, logistics,

opening, and equipping of Puerto

Rico’s canyoning routes. Its active

mission includes installing the safest

“bombproof” stainless-steel rappelling

101

anchors while blazing new trails and

upgrading existing ones by adding

additional safety points and/or replacing

outdated anchors.

“We pride ourselves in facilitating

and guiding adventures to the island’s

most gorgeous waterfalls,

stunning scenery, secluded landscapes

and technical descents,”

Mendez tells Bienvenidos.

Jose Jochi Mendez, founder of Canyoning Puerto Rico,

is descending the waterfall of Rio Prieto in Ponce.

Canyoning Puerto Rico’s lead guides

are proud to have been trained by

Alfonso “El Español” Carrero, the island’s

first American Canyoneering

Association-certified professional canyon

guide and a key figure in Puerto

Rico’s canyoning scene development,

and by Rich Carlson, the ACA founder

and instructor with over 30 years

of canyoneering experience.

Team members came away from

a recent canyoning trip to the Pyrenees

Mountains in Europe with the

understanding that Puerto Rico can

lay claim to at least 10 world-class

canyoning routes (Rio Prieto, Mete

Miedo, Inabon, Inabon Maravilla,

Emajagua, Barreal, Jaguas, Rio Fajardo,

Rio Cubuy, and Rio Tanama).

“There are probably a few places

in the world where you can tackle

a canyoning route in the middle of a

rainforest and follow it up with a drive

of a few minutes to end on a beach,”

Mendez notes. “However, most of the

time we are content with just enjoying

the good food served in the mountain

region and a few well-deserved beers

from the local chinchorros.”

Canyoning adventures can be

had around the island, but the interior

and southern regions boast

the highest concentration of routes

given that they are marked by the

steepest drop to the sea from the

central cordillera.

Jose Jochi Mendez of Canyoning Puerto Rico finishing up his

rapelling at Las Bocas Canyon in Barranquitas.

Now to the nuts and bolts of your

canyoning adventures. Canyoning is

not for everyone as it entails navigating

substantial heights, serious hikes,

and traversing over slick and challenging

river terrain. “Good hiking

endurance and strong mental focus

to deal with heights and challenges

are a couple of things that come to

mind,” Mendez says.

Excursions should be tailored to cater

to different levels of expertise and

knowledge of vertical techniques. Firsttime

participants can expect entry-level

outings along routes that progress in

rappel height, technique and difficulty.

This natural progression allows for

newcomers to master the rappelling

techniques while descending through

a series of gorgeous waterfalls, infinity

pools, and stunning scenery.

Entry-level excursions follow routes

that progress in height and/or difficulty

as participants sharpen their

skills as they descend through the

various rappels. These routes generally

take between three hours to

six hours to complete depending on

access, approaches, practice time,

overall descent, and route exit.

Mendez says that groups generally

have a minimum of two guides, although

his team has opted for three

-- a lead guide and two others.

“This is key for a unique and personalized

experience,” he says.

Alexis Rivera coming down Rio Fajardo’s Dos Brazos waterfall

in Fajardo/Ceiba.

Advanced routes with more demanding

vertical and river passages may

take between eight hours and 12

hours to complete, in part because

of their remoteness -- with approach

times of as much as two hours to

reach the first waterfall rappel -- and

due to a higher degree of skill for

increasingly technical terrain.

“Offering inexperienced participants

excursions to these more advanced

routes can be considered a reckless

act and is strongly discouraged by

the Canyoning Puerto Rico team,”

Mendez says.

In fact, Mendez claims Canyoning

Puerto Rico has avoided mass tour

offerings due to the inherent risks


Gustavo Martinez-Cañavate descending La Plazuela waterfall in Orocovis.

Guillem Torderas and Eli Martin of AVEM at Rio Inabon in Ponce.

of the activity and has focused on

reaching people truly interested in

living the canyoning experience.

That is why the outfit has opted to

only offer excursions along an “entrylevel”

route thoughtfully crafted by the

Canyoning Puerto Rico team to appeal

to first time participants as well

as more experienced canyoneers.

“We do encourage and invite the

participants to practice and gain

further experience if their intent is to

tackle other more demanding routes,”

Mendez said.

Established tour operators include

Ruta Nativa, Altura and Montaña

Explora, among others, and they

prepared to lead first-timers safely

down remote terrain.

The best companies provide all

the equipment necessary for the

adventures and boast guides who

are well-trained and knowledgeable

in rescue and first aid techniques.

While a plunging stream or waterfall

high in Puerto Rico’s mountains is sure

to be refreshing, they are generally

not cold enough to require any sort

of wetsuit. Good hiking shoes and

clothes (long pants and long-sleeve

nylon shirts recommended) that you

don’t mind getting wet and dirty are

a must. Check ahead with guide outfits

as some may recommend trekkers

bring small back backs with water,

snacks, etc.

Ruta Nativa offers two main adventures

along the Tanama River - which

include hiking, rappelling, body rafting,

caving, and canyoning - and

are focused on the education and

preservation of natural and cultural

resources of the area.

Montaña Explora runs trips on the

south side of El Yunque, the only

tropical rainforest in the U.S. national

forest system and a riot of lush vegetation,

massive boulders, cascading

rivers, and scenic views. Soak up

the clean air and crystal mountain

water, drawing energy from the island’s

“lungs” as did the indigenous

Taino natives, whose petroglyphs are

visible on a trek that includes hiking

through jungle, rappelling, boulder

hopping, cliff jumping, and swimming

in calm cool pools.

Altura currently offers three trips: The

Big Waterfall Adventure; the Zip and

Zen Guided Rappelling Adventure;

and the El Chorro Waterfall Adventure.

Go online to find the one that

best suits you and your group.

All of the outfitters will put you in a

position to immerse yourself in Puerto

Rico’s wonderful nature, where participants

can expect to be rewarded

with a sense of accomplishment, a

powerful surge of energy and unmatched

memories.

So, get out there and take the

plunge.

103

Puerto Rico’s

MLB shining stars

By EUGENIO HOPGOOD

A new generation of young and exciting MLB players

is drawing the attention back on Puerto Rico.

Five years ago, the names

of Javier Baez, Francisco

Lindor, Carlos Correa, and

Edwin “Sugar” Diaz didn’t

ring a bell to most baseball fans

but now they are quickly establishing

themselves as elite ballplayers

by headlining highlights, Google

searches, and drawing large

crowds.

They were earning close to a million

dollars but going into freeagency

they are expected to obtain

multi-million dollar deals. And

none of these players are over the

age of 26.

Puerto Rico has also gained recognition

as a baseball powerhouse after

earning back to back second place

trophies in the World Baseball Classic

(WBC). The Puerto Rico National

Team finished second in 2013 behind

the Dominican Republic and

then placed second behind Team

USA in 2017.

The boricuas as Puerto Ricans are

also referred to, have not only excelled

in the Majors in batting and

pitching but with their dugout strategy

and decision making as well. Rookie

manager Alex Cora led the Boston

Red Sox to a World Series victory

in 2018 with a franchise record of

108 wins.

“After winning all those games and

then going on to practically sweep

everyone in the post season to win

the World Series, what else can

you ask of a rookie manager?,” said

Puerto Rican Baseball Commentator

Raymond Perez.

Noting that Cora, a former pro infielder,

is the second Puerto Rican

to manage a MLB team; Perez

believes that in order for Cora to

be successful, he has to lead Boston

into the World Series again

since the team is even better than

last season.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s Pittsburgh

Pirates legend Roberto Clemente and

Orlando Cepeda, who played for

the San Francisco Giants and the

Saint Louis Cardinals, were the first

Puerto Rican MLB players to acquire

superstar status.

During the 90’s and beyond, ex

players like Hall of Famers Roberto

Alomar, Ivan Rodriguez and Edgar

Martinez, who was inducted this

year into the National Baseball

Hall of Fame in his final year on the


Carlos Correa

was awarded a

$5 million,

one-year deal.

promising teenager in 2011, while

earning a salary of $657,000 last

season. But this year Baez was eligible

for arbitration and signed a

$5.2 million, one-year deal for the

2019 season. In 2022 he will be a

free agent and if healthy is expected

to sign a multi-year, multimillion dollar

contract.

Edgar Martinez was inducted to

Cooperstown.

Edwin Diaz named 2018 National

League Relief Pitcher of the Year.

ballot; as well as Carlos Delgado,

Juan Gonzalez, and Carlos Beltran,

among others were huge stars. However,

that generation faded away

and for years Puerto Rico lacked

baseball idols until this new crop of

Alex Cora won World Series title as Red Sox Manager.

players appeared and demonstrated

their talent right from the start.

Most fans agree that one of MLB’s

future stars will be Javier Baez of the

Chicago Cubs. Baez is a 26-yearold

utility infielder who led the National

League in runs batted in last

season with 111 and belted away

34 home runs with a .290 batting

average, coming in a close second

for the league’s MVP award in only

his third full season in the Majors.

Javier, known as “El Mago” for his

fielding abilities at second base,

shortstop and third base; was a key

player in the Cubs’ race to the 2016

World Series.

“Baez exploded and had his big

season in 2018,” said Norman

Davila, a Puerto Rican veteran radio

sports broadcaster. “He is currently

one of the most exciting players in

the MLB, his base running is spectacular

and he plays at a high risk

mode all the time.”

Defensively Perez compares Baez to

ex major leaguers Brooks Robinson

of the Baltimore Orioles and Roberto

Alomar of the Toronto Blue Jays, who

were players that set new standards in

the game and made dazzling plays.

“The only difference is that Javier

does it at three different positions,”

said Perez. “He is a smart player

with baseball savvy.”

Baez started at second base during

last year’s All Star Game and earned

a $2.5 million signing bonus as a

Edwin “Sugar” Diaz, a 25-year-old

tall, lanky native of Naguabo established

himself as an elite closer

in 2018. He was named National

League Relief Pitcher of the Year during

his third season in the MLB. Diaz

led the league with 57 saves, five

games short of the all-time record of

62 in a single season achieved by

Venezuelan pitcher Francisco Rodriguez

of the Los Angeles Angels in

2008, who also had a 1.90 earned

run average, and 124 strikeouts.

“Edwin has a strong fastball of over

100 mph and a great slider, he gets

a lot of strikeouts and when he has

good control it’s almost impossible to

hit his pitches,” Davila said. “He also

has the temperament of a closer which

is something not every great pitcher

has because you take the mound in

the ninth inning when the game is on

the line and either save it or lose it.”

In December 2018, Diaz was traded

from the Seattle Mariners to the New

York Mets where “he will now have

the backing of a large Latino community

and more pressure to deliver,”

Perez said. The Mets will pay him

$570,800 - the same contract he had

with the Mariners, which many consider

low for such a solid performer.

Diaz will qualify for arbitration at the

end of the 2019 season which will

possibly ascend him straight into the

millionaire’s club and if Diaz stays

healthy, the bigger salary will arrive

when he becomes a free agent in

2022.

Cleveland’s shortstop Francisco Lindor,

nicknamed “Mr. Smile,” is in his

105

“Yadier keeps playing at

a very high level.”

Norman Davila, Puerto Rican

veteran radio sports broadcaster

fifth season and he came in strong

from the start, as the runner up for

the American League (AL) Rookie

of the Year honor to Carlos Correa

in 2015. Last year, he hit 38 home

runs (ranking sixth in the AL) and

had 92 RBI’s with a .277 batting

average. Lindor has been a starting

All Star Game shortstop for the AL

in the last three years. In 2016, he

won the Gold and Platinum Glove

awards as best defensive shortstop.

Lindor earned $623,200 in 2018 but

to avoid arbitration with the Indians

he was awarded a $10.5 million,

one year deal in 2019. He will be a

free agent in 2022 and is expected

to sign a multi-year, multimillion dollar

contract. According to news reports,

Lindor rejected a contract extension

of somewhere near the amount of

$100 million in early 2017.

Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa has

also delivered impressive performances

since setting foot in a MLB

stadium. He began his career in

2015 winning the American League’s

Rookie of the Year Award and

helped lead the Astros to a World

Series title in 2017. In that season

he batted .315 with 24 homers and

shined defensively. In 2018 however,

he was plagued by injuries and his

performance went down as he batted

for a career low .239 average.

a .384 earned run average (less

than 4 runs allowed per complete

games) and was voted to the All-Star

Game roster for the AL. “He has

a great 95 mph fastball and has

been the best starter for the Twins

organization,” Perez said.

Besides the aforementioned young talent,

there are veteran players who still

have a big impact in the game. Puerto

Rico’s main major leaguer right now

is St. Louis Cardinals Catcher Yadier

Molina, who is playing in his sixteenth

season behind the plate and recently

won his ninth Gold Glove Award.

Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez

are the only other catchers in MLB

history who have won 10 and 13

Gold Gloves, respectively.

Molina earns a cool $20 million a

year and is in his second year of

a three-year contract extension for

$60 million. He has said he plans

to retire after the contract ends in

2020. “Yadier keeps playing at a

very high level,” said Davila. “He is

a fierce competitor and wherever he

plays, he is a leader on and off the

Yadier Molina

won 2018 Roberto

Clemente Award.

field, and that includes the Puerto

Rico team in the WBC. He will be

missed on that team.”

So, keep an eye on all of these

young stars from Puerto Rico because

they are bound to make

headlines for quite a while in their

MLB careers. And watch out for

Team Puerto Rico in the 2021

WBC because these stars will be

reaching their peak and might just

take home the championship title

next time.

Puerto Rico did not have a great

starting pitcher for quite a while but

now there is a rising star looking to

fill that position - Jose Berrios of the

Minnesota Twins.

Berrios, the 6 foot, 185 pound right

handed rookie; won a spot among

the Twin’s starting rotation in 2016

and has had quality performances

in his second and third year. Last

season he had a 12-11 record with

Francisco Lindor awarded a $10.5 million, one year deal.


HOTELS

METRO AREA

AC Hotel San Juan Condado (787) 827-7280

Acacia Boutique Hotel (787) 727-2023

At Wind Chimes Boutique Hotel (787) 727-4153

Azul ESJ Collection (787) 791-5151

Blue Horizon Boutique Resort (787) 741-3318

Borinquen Beach Inn (787) 728-8400

Canario Boutique Hotel (787) 725-0668

Caribe Hilton (787) 721-0303

Casa Caribe Bed & Breakfast (787) 722-7139

Casa Isabel B & B (787) 630-5974

Casa Sol Bed and Breakfast (787) 980-9700

Ciqala Luxury Home Suites (787) 725-2729

Comfort Inn San Juan (787) 721-0170

Coral by the Sea Hotel & Restaurant (787) 791-6868

Coral Princess Hotel (787) 977-7700

Courtyard By Marriott SJ Miramar (787) 721-7400

Decanter Hotel (787) 925-1490

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (787) 626-1100

Dos Aguas, LLC (787) 585-7010

Dreams Hotel (787) 688-5818

El San Juan Hotel & Casino (787) 791-1000

Embassy Suites Dorado Del Mar

Beach Resort (787) 796-6125

Embassy Suites San Juan Hotel & Casino (787) 791-0505

Grupo Pelicano Culebra Inc. (787) 398-8635

Hampton Inn & Suites San Juan (787) 791-8777

Holiday Inn Express San Juan (787) 724-4160

Hotel Miramar (787) 977-1000

Hyatt House San Juan (787) 977-5000

Hyatt Place Bayamon & El Tropical Casino (787) 779-5000

Hyatt Place San Juan City Center (787) 721-3000

InterContinental San Juan (787) 791-6100

Milano Hotel (787) 729-9050

Olimpo Court Hotel (787) 724-0600

San Juan Marriott Resort

& Stellaris Casino (787) 722-7000

San Juan Water Beach Club Hotel (787) 728-3666

Serafina Beach Hotel (787) 420-1617

Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel & Casino (787) 721-5100

Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino (787) 993-3500

SOFO Hotels LLC / Hotel Casablanca (787) 977-0770

Tarpon’s Nest Lodge, Inc. (787) 523-1220

The Condado Plaza Hilton (787) 721-1000

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel,

Spa & Casino (787) 253-1700

The Wave Hotel (787) 721-9010

Tres Palmas Inn (787) 727-4617

OUT OF METRO AREA

Caribe Hotel Hotel Ponce (787) 841-1000

Casa de Amistad (787) 741-3758

Casa Flamboyant LLC (787) 559-9800

Casa Grande Mountain Retreat (787) 894-3939

Casa Islena Inn (787) 823-1525

Casona Ventures, LLC (484) 941-0820

Club Seabourne (787) 742-3169

Coconut Palms Inn on the Beach (787) 823-0147

Combate Beach Resort (787) 254-2358

Coqui Cabana @ Sea Beach Village (787) 379-2249

Costa Bahia Hotel & Convention Center (787) 835-3335

El Blok (797) 741-6020

El Conquistador Resort, (787) 863-1000

A Waldorf Astoria Resort

Hacienda Siesta Alegre B & B Inn (787) 887-7500

Hacienda Tamarindo (787) 741-8525

Hector’s By The Sea (787) 741-1178

Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort (787) 259-7676

Hix Island House (787) 741-2302

Holiday Inn & Tropical Casino Mayaguez (787) 833-1100

Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical Casino (787) 844-1200

Horned Dorset Primavera (787) 823-4030

Hostal Casa Culebra (787) 742-0762

Hotel Belgica (787) 844-3255

Hyatt Place Manati (787) 854-1000

Las Casitas Village & Golden Door Spa (787) 863-1000

Las Palmas Inn (787) 823-1525

Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn (787) 889-1713

Malecon House (787) 741-0663

Mamacitas Guest House Bar & Restaurant (787) 742-0090

Melia Coco Beach (787) 657-1051

Ocean Pearl Guest House (787) 355-7775

Palmas De Lucia Parador (787) 893-4423

Paradise Villas and Vacations, LLC (508) 740-4690

Parador Costa Del Mar (787) 266-6276

Parador Guanica 1929 (787) 821-0099

Parador MaunaCaribe (787) 861-3330

Parador Turtle Bay Inn (787) 899-6633

Parguera Plaza, Inc. (787) 920-4275

Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino (787) 813-5050

Rainforest Inn LLC (787) 809-3333

Rincon Beach Resort (787) 589-9000

Rincon Inn (787) 823-7070

Tamarindo Estates Beach Resort (787) 742-3343

Tamboo Beside The Pointe (787) 823-8550

The Lazy Parrot Inn (787) 823-5654

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort,

Puerto Rico (787) 809-8000

Tres Sirenas Beach Inn (787) 823-0558

Villa Cofresi Hotel (787) 823-2450

Villa Coral Guest House (787) 741-1967

Wyndham Extra Holidays (407) 626-6436

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico

Golf & Beach Resort (787) 888-6000

CASINOS

METRO AREA

Casino @ The Ritz-Carlton,

San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino (787) 253-1700

Casino Metro @ Sheraton Puerto Rico

Convention Center Hotel and Casino (787) 993-3500

Oasis Casino @ Embassy Suites

San Juan Hotel & Casino (787) 791-0505

Stellaris Casino @ San Juan Marriott

Resort & Stellaris Casino (787) 722-7000

Tropical Casino @ Hyatt Place Bayamon (787) 995-8300

OUT OF METRO

Casino Atlantico @ Hyatt Place Manati (787) 854-7373

Tropical Casino@Holiday Inn

& Tropical Casino Mayaguez (787) 265-4200

Casino Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort (787) 259-7676

Tropical Casino@Holiday Inn

& Tropical Casino Ponce (787) 844-1200

RESTAURANTS

METRO AREA

Alelí @ InterContinental San Juan (787) 791-6100

Aurorita’s Restaurant (787) 783-2899

Bistro Tartine (787) 961-4044

Buenos Ayres Bar & Grill (787) 725-1818

Choices @ Sheraton Puerto Rico

Hotel & Casino (787) 993-3587

El Patio Latin Bar and Cafe (787) 791-0505

Hard Rock Cafe San Juan (787) 641-3500

Marisqueria Atlantica Isla Verde (787) 728-5444

Marmalade Restaurant & Wine Bar (787) 724-3969

NICHE @ Acacia Boutique Hotel (787) 725-0668

Ocean Bar & Grill, The Ritz Carlton

San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino (787) 253-1700

Orujo Taller de Cocina (787) 360-6535

Paellas y Algo Mas /Caribbean Kitchen of PR (787) 598-4766

Palio Restaurant @ Sheraton Old San Juan (787) 721-5100

Palmeras Restaurant Caribe Hilton (787) 721-0303

Platos Restaurant & Bar-Coral By the Sea (787) 791-7474

Zest Restaurant (787) 728-3666

OUT OF METRO

Carambola Island Restaurant @

Blue Horizon Boutique Hotel (787) 741-3318

Casa Grande Cafe (787) 894-3939

Casitas Cafe @ Las Casitas Village

Golden Door Spa (787) 863-1000

Francisco’s At The Lazy Parrot (800) 294-1752

Holly’s Cafe At Holiday Inn

& Tropical Casino Mayaguez (787) 833-1100

Horned Dorset Primavera, Restaurant (787) 823-4030

La Ana De Cofresi@Villa Cofresi (787) 823-2450

La Cava At Hilton Ponce Golf

& Casino Resort (787) 259-7676

NAMI At Gran Melia (787) 657-1026

Palio Restaurant (787) 888-6000

Palmas Athletic Club Restaurants (787) 656-3001

Palmas De Lucia Restaurant (787) 893-4423

SHIMA’S At Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa,

A Wyndham Grand Resort (787) 888-6000

Tamboo Sea Side Grill & Restaurant @

Tamboo Beside The Pointe (787) 823-8550

Tanama Restaurant At Holiday Inn Ponce

Hotel & Tropical Casino (787) 844-1200

Tapas Bar @ Casa Islena Inn (787) 823-1525

TEMPO At Gran Melia (787) 657-1051

Toro Verde Restaurant (787) 867-6606

ALLIED MEMBERS

A & A Tours (787) 792-4060

ACEMLA Asociacion de Compositores

y Editores de Musica Latinoamericana (787) 758-0011

Acrecent Financial Officer (787) 706-9292

AFLAC (787) 665-7030

Aireko Services & Installations, Inc. (787) 273-0300

Airlines Reporting Corp. (787) 250-0835

Ambiente Moderno, Inc. (787) 275-0303

American Airlines (305) 520-3437

American Beverage Marketer (787) 360-1927

Anecdote Productions, Inc. (787) 720-3286

Angora Properties (787) 746-7180

AON Risk Solutions of Puerto Rico, Inc. (787) 754-8787

Aquino, De Cordova, Alfaro & Co., LLP (787) 253-9595

Arecibo Observatory (787) 878-2612

Asociacion Comerciantes

de la Parguera (787) 384-9802

Asociacion Puertorriquena

de Agencias de Viajes (787) 765-1654

Assa Abloy Hospitality Panama -

Former “Vingcardelsafe” (507) 694-92074

At InMedia, Corp. -

MiBoda Magazine (787) 579-7560

Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. (787) 253-5903

Bacardi Corporation &

Casa Bacardi Tourist Attraction (787) 788-1500

Ballester Hermanos, Inc. (787) 788-4110

Bar Evo (787) 205-6046

Barefoot Travelers Rooms (787) 850-0508

Bella Group (787) 620-7010

Berlitz Puerto Rico, Inc. (787) 753-2585

B. Fernandez Hnos. (787) 288-7272

Bike Rent Puerto Rico (787) 497-0007

Bonnier Corporation (407) 913-4945

Booking.com (939) 336-7416

Bright View (787) 236-9420

Budget Rent A Car (787) 253-5903

Cadillac Uniform and Linen Supply (787) 785-5757

Caguas, City Of Promotion & Economic

Development Department (787) 653-8833

Camara de Comercio de Puerto Rico (787) 721-6060

Cape Air (787) 645-1800

Caribbean Consulting (787) 455-4216

Caribbean Culinary Consulting, Inc. (787) 722-1459

PUERTO RICO HOTEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATION MEMBERS DIRECTORY AS OF FEBRUARY 2019 107

Caribbean Food Products Corp. (787) 860-7777

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (305) 443-3040

Carlos Jeep Rental (787) 742-3514

Carolina Autonomous Municipality

Turistic Development Office (787) 701-5137

Carrion Carpet Cleaning (787) 536-4445

Carrion Laffitte and Casellas Inc./

Hub International CLC (787) 641-2738

Casa Cortes (787) 717-6772

Castillo Sightseeing Tours & Travel Inc. (787) 728-2297

Catamaran Spread Eagle (888) 523-4511

CC1 Foods, LLC (787) 876-9191

CentiMark Corporation (678) 648-4641

Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferre (787) 724-4747

Charter Coach / Gray Line Puerto Rico (787) 766-0789

Cintas Corporation (787) 250-8297

City Park Equipment (787) 261-5159

City Sightseeing (787) 447-6647

Claro Puerto Rico (787) 774-4248

Club Nautico de San Juan (787) 722-0177

CM Hotel Security Consultant (787) 201-0041

Coco Beach Golf Club (787) 657-2000

Colon & Colon, P. S. C. (787) 758-6060

Concierge Medical Services PSC (787) 692-2072

CONDADOINSIDER.COM (787) 636-3660

Conwaste Services LLC (787) 273-7639

Cooperativa de Porcicultores de Puerto Rico (787) 595-6599

Cotton International, Inc. (939) 286-6190

CPA Providencia Iglesias (787) 753-5695

Culebra Beach Rental (787) 767-7575

DDC Design & Decor Center Yanez Diaz (787) 782-2040

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (939) 292-3067

Destileria Serralles, Inc. (787) 707-1000

Destination Puerto Rico/Travel Services, Inc., (787) 982-1200

a DMC Network Company

Deya Elevators Service, Inc. (787) 268-8777

Disaster Compensation Attorneys, LLC (787) 429-6914

Dollar Rent A Car (787) 791-5600

Dorado Beach Resort & Club (787) 626-1060

Draco - Risk Consulting (787) 395-7299

Duarte Waste (787) 756-0135

EAS Systems, Inc. (787) 284-4007

East Island Excursions, Inc. (787) 860-3434

EcoElectrica (787) 836-2740

Ecolab Manufacturing, Inc. (787) 796-1290

EC Waste LLC (787) 852-4444

Educon Management (787) 238-5776

EGlobal (801) 663-3459

EMP Group, Inc. (305) 213-9842

Empire Gas Company, Inc.,

‘La Compania Jibara’ (787) 751-5725

Enterprise, National and Alamo Car Rental (787) 791-1805

Entrepreneurs Successful Group, LLC

DBA Quedaste Retratao (787) 667-0779

Escuela Hotelera de San Juan (787) 766-0606

Eventos de Portada.com (787) 629-6200

Events Design Group, Inc. (787) 727-5903

Executive Solutions (787) 925-1167

Expedia.Com & Hotels.Com (809) 227-3028

Explora PR (787) 900-7755

Fedelta Insurance Corp. (787) 705-8547

First Class Destination Solutions (787) 296-5466

First Class Services, Inc. (787) 722-8536

Flagship Services Corporation (787) 791-2332

Flavors of San Juan Food and Culture Tours (939) 397-3343

FOODIEcations (787) 647-1157

Foundation for Puerto Rico (787) 773-1100

Frances Rios Communications, Inc. (787) 231-7347

Fruttery Company (805) 350-5001

Fulcro Insurance, Inc. (787) 725-5880

G4S Security Services, Inc. (787) 641-3300

Gaither International, Inc. (787) 728-5757

GBG Recycling Solutions, Inc. (787) 946-0247

GEO Builders Inc. (787) 782-3301

Grand Events (787) 775-0777

Group Services, Inc. (787) 863-6890

Gustazos.com (787) 396-4279

Hacienda Muñoz (787) 736-8427

HI Development Puerto Rico Corporation (787) 723-0121

HMC PR Consultants, Inc. (787) 791-6271

HMS Gaming, LLC (800) 381-6522

Honorary Member - PRHTA / Santoni, Juan (787) 510-2741

Human Capital (787) 622-3380

ICPR Junior College (787) 753-6000

Imperial Dade (787) 275-1414

Indus Architects PLLC (212) 398-6900

Innovations DMC (787) 215-3287

Instant 360 (888) 266-5360

Instituto De Banca Y Comercio - Manati (787) 854-6634

Integra Group, LLC (787) 289-7817

Interactive DMC Puerto Rico (787) 396-3912

Inter American University - Aguadilla Campus (787) 891-3450

Inter American University - Fajardo Campus (787) 863-2390

Inter American University - Ponce Campus (787) 284-1912

Interlink Development Counselors Co., Inc. (787) 753-8455

International Business Solutions (787) 671-4014

Island West Properties, Inc. (787) 823-2323

I Tour Puerto Rico, Inc. (787) 244-0099

Joe Colon Studio, Inc. (787) 669-6929

Jose Santiago, Inc. (787) 288-8835

Kevane Grant Thornton LLP (787) 754-1915

Kitchen Cleaning Services, Inc. (787) 993-5030

Latin Financial, LLC (844) 587-6775

LGA Strategies, LLC (787) 963-1831

Local Guest (787) 300-8959

Lote 23 (El market LLC) (787) 599-2807

Lucerna Hospitality (787) 462-1550

Lucre Ruisanchez & Associates, Corp (787) 363-0290

MABUDEG Corp. (Marketing &

Business Development Group) (787) 238-8312

Macy’s (305) 577-2012

Mall of San Juan (787) 759-6262

Management Search & Supporting Services (787) 758-7700

Martineau Belle Playa (787) 409-3057

MCS Life Insurance Company (787) 758-2500

Medals Sports (787) 632-7676

Media & Marketing Partners & Co. (787) 723-5220

Mendez & Company, Inc. (787) 793-8888

Microgreens del Caribe (787) 645-3181

Mind Source Intl. Com (787) 248-1658

Monteclaro Escuela de Hoteleria y

Artes Culinarias (787) 888-1135

Montequin Distributors, Inc. (787) 781-6390

Municipio Autonomo de Mayaguez (787) 832-1310

Nanny Group International, Inc. (787) 728-9999

National Building Maintenance (787) 758-6400

Nayda Cumpiano Consultant (787) 722-8023

NPR Solutions Inc. (787) 799-5000

One Film & Video Productions (787) 649-6886

O’Neill & Borges (787) 282-5767

Organizacion Pro Ambiente Sustentable (787) 407-5829

Out of the Box Solutions, Inc. (787) 708-6464

Palmas Athletic Club Corp (787) 656-3000

Pan American Grain Mfg., Inc. (787) 273-6100

Pan Pepin, Inc. (787) 787-1717

Paradigm Associates, Inc. (787) 782-2929

Para la Naturaleza (787) 722-5834

Park Place Parking, LLC (787) 294-9388

Plaza Food System (787) 653-4950

Plaza Las Americas (787) 767-5202

Plenativa (787) 633-4181

Pontificia Universidad Catolica de PR -

Recinto de Mayaguez (787) 834-5151

Portable Radio Solutions, LLC (787) 512-0433

Portofino Development Corporation (787) 837-3800

Presentation Services Audiovisuals (787) 300-6737

Prime Janitorial Service Corporation (787) 840-3942

Professional Security & Surveillance Serv. Inc. (786) 472-3288

PR Seating Commercial

Restaurant Furniture (787) 995-7034

Puerto Rico Bartenders Association (787) 475-2855

Puerto Rico Convention Center (787) 722-3309

Puerto Rico Fast Ferries, LLC (787) 791-2332

Puerto Rico General Distributing Company (787) 757-3333

Puerto Rico Premium Outlets (787) 846-5344

Puerto Rico Shuttle (787) 400-2100

Puerto Rico Tourism Company (787) 721-2898

Ram-Sal Music & Entertainment (787) 602-5667

Rectangle Energy (407) 480-8082

Recurso: CIUDAD PSC (787) 647-0901

Redfeather Green Energy Development (518) 369-2100

Red Sismica De Puerto Rico / UNIV PR (787) 833-8433

Resort at Cayo Largo, LLC. (787) 791-2332

Retail Manager (787) 466-2091

RM Productions (787) 728-4947

Rodriguez, Rivera & Toro (787) 834-3100

Royal Star Limousine (787) 253-2355

RST / Rico Suntours (787) 722-2080

Rulifes Wellness Integral (787) 515-7796

Sagrado Corazon University (787) 728-1515

San Juan Ciudad Patria, Oficina de Turismo (787) 722-0200

Save A Life International Corp. (787) 880-1131

Say I Do in Puerto Rico (787) 409-7831

Scholarship Foundation for Hotel

and Tourism Studies (787) 977-3393

Seaborne Airlines (787) 946-8257

Seagull At the Sea (787) 796-0099

Sons Advertising Specialties (787) 728-7059

Sprint (787) 775-6700

StageBoom (787) 605-0959

Starlight Advertising (787) 745-8700

STR (Smith Travel Research) (615) 824-8664

SuperClubs Puerto Rico LLC (787) 644-0021

Surfside Palmas Resorts (787) 850-3030

Swirl Corp. (787) 731-4551

System Shred (787) 784-5220

Tables Magazine (410) 837-1116

Tamboricua , Inc. (787) 671-2418

Team Worx (787) 626-6423

Technetpr Systems (787) 586-6017

The Entertainers PR: Care for Kids (787) 423-9639

The Wonderful Company (310) 966-5700

Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park (787) 867-6606

Tour Coop of Puerto Rico (787) 762-7155

Tropical Weddings (787) 671-1690

Tropic Ocean Airways (800) 767-0897

Tropigas de Puerto Rico (787) 641-8002

TrueBlue Hospitality (787) 765-3226

Union Church of San Juan (787) 726-0280

Universidad Del Este - Jose A. (Tony) Santana

International School of Hospitality (787) 257-7373

UPR Carolina, School of Hotel &

sRestaurant Administration (787) 257-0000

Vacation Rental-Bahia Beach (787) 809-8848

Vamonos Tours Inc. (888) 366-6121

Velauno Paddleboarding (787) 728-8716

Vieques Air Link (787) 523-1660

Villa Ensenada Inn (787) 823-5807

Vitrifrigo America LLC (954) 979-7737

Vitro Caribe, Inc. (787) 996-0910

Vivo Beach Club (787) 648-5655

V. Suarez & Co., Inc. (787) 792-1212

Weisbrod Matteis & Copley PLLC (202) 751-2002

Yellow Media Group (787) 304-4444


T E L L T H E M T O

T O T A K E Y O U T O

PASEO

CARIBE

More than 15 local culinary options:

Mexico Lindo | Napolitana | Noodle Merchant | Isla Bonita | Barra Burguesa

Aroma Latino | Barra Cocina | Barra Verde | Mediterranean Market | Alto Grande

Chops & Wines | Frenchie’s | Coctel | Himalaya | Pesca’o del Día | Sr. Paleta

The best happy hours.

Live concerts every f riday.

Ocean f ront shopping.

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Bienvenidos Edición 2019

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